Hello Sunshine
by FictionInReality
Summary: On hiatus Gilmore Girls OC crossover fic What if Ryan had been adopted much earlier in life? What if Luke and Lorelai got together much earlier? What if the Cohens moved to Connecticut? Better Summary inside!
1. Prologue

_Summary: What would happen if everything happened differently? What if Sandy and Kirsten had adopted Ryan much earlier, and he and Seth had grown up together? What if Lorelai and Luke had started dating and fallen in love much earlier? What if Sandy and Kirsten moved with their boys to Stars Hollow? (For the purpose of this story, Ryan, Seth, and Rory are all the same age.) This story follows the lives of the main characters of_ The OC _and_ Gilmore Girls

_A/N- The premise for this story came about when I spent an entire weekend switching between my first season DVDs of my two favorite shows- The OC and Gilmore Girls. I hope you like it. Please R R._

_A/N 2- The first few chapters are cataloging the lives of the characters before the Cohens move to Connecticut. I will get to it eventually, and then it will be the three of them growing up together (Oh, yeah, and Lane, too)_

Prologue

Lorelai Gilmore sat in her hospital bed, a slew of busy nurses and doctors hovering around her. There were so many people in that room, but she had never felt more alone.

Sixteen years old, she had just given birth to a girl, who she named Lorelai Leigh, without the support of her now ex-boyfriend, Christopher. She was alone and lonely, waiting for someone to save her; that person came in the most unexpected form.

She knew when she held her baby that there was no way she was alone in this world- she had this little girl. And they were in it together for the long haul.

Her eyes lit up when the nurses brought the little baby in to feed. As she cradled her new daughter in her arms, Lorelai whispered,

"Hi, Rory. Thanks for saving me."

-

A few states away, another woman sat in the same position, but feeling the exact opposite of what Lorelai felt. She held her newborn son close to as her loving husband watched on. She felt important, loved, and motherly- a new feeling that she really liked.

"Kirsten, honey, let me hold Seth," Sandy requested. She handed her new son to her husband and couldn't help but smile at the perfect picture it created.

The moment was shattered as doctors wandered into the room and over to the bed where a blonde woman had been earlier that day. They absently discussed the situation at hand,

"She just left?"

"Looks that way."

"I guess she knew that we weren't going to let her keep the baby... she left the baby here?"

"Yes, but she took her older son and all of her belongings and left. She left a note saying that she didn't want the baby. She actually must have known before she gave birth, because she left presigned adoption papers." At that moment, a nurse purposefully barged into the room and towards the doctors, nervously bouncing a crying baby in her arms,

"He won't stop crying. He needs his mother." Kirsten looked at Sandy and he nodded; they both knew what they had to do.

"Nurse, may I hold him?" The nurse was desperate and eagerly handed the screaming baby over to Kirsten. Suddenly the crying ceased, the Cohens understanding what it meant. They had both instantly fallen in love with this little boy, as they had with Seth.

"Doctor, could we possibly adopt him?"


	2. Age Zero to Twelve Months

_A/N- Thanks for all of the reviews, guys! They really make me happy and make me want to write more, so keep RRing!_

_A/N 2- To all of you who are asking, as much as I love Jess and Rory together, I love Luke and Lorelai more. So when I have them get married early, Rory and Jess are going to be raised as cousins. So they won't be getting together. Cuz that's kind of creepy. I'm sorry. I think what I'm going to do instead is have him play the protective card. Cuz I thought that would be cute. As opposed to creepy._

_A/N 3- Also, I really want to explore the Rory/ Ryan pairing. I thought they'd be really cute together. And I kinda like the idea of Lane and Seth. Just because. I think it'd be really cute, especially because of Dave. _

_A/N 4- I swear, last one. The first few chapters (before the Cohens move to Stars Hollow) are going to follow a broken format, following each family individually. Then, when the Cohens move to Connecticut, it'll be more blended._

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, so don't sue. I just felt like amusing myself and those who also love these shows._

Zero to Twelve Months

When Rory was asleep, Lorelai was miserable. She couldn't take being alone in the cavernous "home" that she was a prisoner to. She had always found a slight solace in school, in reading particularly, and she missed that solace. Honestly, she did not miss her friends- they had all disappeared when she had become pregnant. _Stupid materialistic jerks._ Lorelai thought simply as she flipped through that week's People magazine for the seventh- or was it eighth- time. She hated daytime TV- she couldn't watch Soap Operas without mocking, and to mock, she needed a partner. She couldn't wait until Rory was older and could accompany her in her favorite pastime. In the simplest terms, Lorelai hated being alone.

-

In New York City, Kirsten Cohen felt the opposite of Lorelai. She and Sandy had named their second son Ryan Nicholas Cohen, and had loved the bond they felt with him and his brother. She had never felt more loved or appreciated in her life.

Kirsten loved when her boys were awake- they filled the apartment with energy, laughter, and noise. She especially loved the noise. As a child, she had grown up similarly to Lorelai- in a world where childlike behavior was prohibited. She enjoyed playing with the boys' toys and teasing them, getting a giggle or a smile out of her babies.

When the boys were asleep at the same time, however rare it was (It always seemed as though one boy was awake at all times, yet when it came time for feeding, they were both hungry. Kirsten would often complain about it, but secretly she reveled in the idea that her sons were working together, even if it was to make her and Sandy miserable.), Kirsten used the time to prepare for when the boys were awake, preparing bottles, doing the wash, even achieving a nap once in a while. She liked the downtime, but really, she felt happy when the boys were awake, filling her life with laughter once again.

-

When Rory was awake, everything was different for Lorelai. She was happy. She was laughing. She was smiling for the first time since the last time Rory had been awake. She would read to Rory. Sometimes it'd be books like Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger. Other times, she'd dress Rory in an all-pink outfit and sit and read to her from Cosmo Girl. She even loved feeding her. It was a bonding experience and she knew she felt a connection. Sometimes Rory would fall asleep in her arms. She savored the moment and carried the baby to her crib, staring at her, happy as ever, until the realization that she was alone again set in.

-

Sandy and Kirsten loved their bonding moments with their boys as well. Sandy had a habit of playing old records and blasting them throughout the apartment. Seth and Ryan, when they were old enough, loved to bounce to the music as Sandy encouraged them and Kirsten squealed with delight. Kirsten's method of bonding was reading to the boys every night before bed, even before they were old enough to appreciate it. She felt it helped their mental development, but more than anything, she loved the way they looked into her eyes as if there was nowhere else to look in the world.

-

It was the feeling of loneliness that prompted Lorelai into her father's office. She had remembered a conversation she'd had with her father when she was a little girl,

"Daddy? Why do you have so many videos in here?" She had asked, eyeing the large number of video cassettes sitting inside a cabinet she'd accidentally opened. As her father carelessly looked up from his newspaper, he answered thoughtlessly,

"Because someone gave them to me."

"All at one time?" Most parents would find this innocence adorable, but Richard found it a nuisance.

"No, Lorelai. I once told this man that I enjoyed movies. He then found it necessary to buy me five videos for every event that I held. I've never watched any of them." His apathy did not go unnoticed by the then-three-year-old, and she left the conversation at that.

She soon became engrossed in the movies, watching them whenever Rory was asleep. Before this, she'd never had much of an interest in movies, but with nothing else to do, she found herself eventually watching every movie in the cabinet; she even watched a few, such as "Airplane!", "The Adventures of Pippi Longstocking", and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", numerous times. But none of the happiness she felt from the movies rivaled the relief she felt when she heard Rory cry over the baby monitor.

-

Seth and Ryan required similar methods of pacification to Lorelai. Kirsten marveled at how two people so small could have such different interests, even before they could speak.

Seth seemed to follow in his father's footsteps. He loved music- the Beatles were his favorite; he'd sit and laugh while bouncing to the music, and when the music was done, he'd cry until Kirsten turned it on again. He loved movies, also; he could've sat and watched movies all day if Kirsten hadn't been worried that it'd stunt his development. When he did watch movies, he loved anything with big, bright animation and lots of music- his favorite was "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"- due to the animation, his parents assumed.

Ryan, however, was more content to just watch the world around him. He would sit in the highchair or in his bouncy seat and watch Kirsten move around the kitchen. His big blue eyes followed every step she made, occasionally looking over to see what Seth was doing. However, when he wasn't sitting and watching, he loved to play with balls. Soccer balls were his favorite, but he loved playing catch with Sandy- he could play for a half-hour sometimes. He would laugh and run in circles, occasionally hugging the ball to himself.

Both boys loved books. Kirsten and Sandy read to them constantly and were always buying them new books. Seth loved The Monster at the End of This Book while Ryan could listen to Goodnight, Moon for days on end. Sandy and Kirsten took turns, Sandy reading to Ryan while Kirsten read to Seth one night, while they would switch boys the next night so that each would have equal bonding experience with them.

And as they put Seth and Ryan in their cribs at night, Sandy and Kirsten watched them sleep, waiting for tomorrow to come, loving that they were theirs- and they were never going anywhere.

-

As Lorelai sat with Rory in Rory's bedroom, watching her daughter toddle and babble,

"Mama. Mama." Lorelai smiled at her daughter, blowing her a kiss that caused Rory to blow one back- her newest "trick". She sighed loudly- her mother had banished her and Rory to Rory's room after Rory had made a mess in the kitchen with the bowl of ice cream Lorelai had allowed her. Lorelai picked at the food in front of her, asking herself how she had wound up here. _I know how. She answered herself. It wasn't sleeping with Chris. It wasn't refusing to get married. It wasn't having Rory... that was the best thing that's ever happened to me. She added quickly. It was letting them manipulate me. The minute I came back here with Rory, that's where I went wrong. Eleven months of watching my daughter grow up in the world that I don't want to be in. I don't want Rory to have this life... I don't want to have this life._

That was the moment. That was the moment where she realized that she needed to change her life... and save Rory from the horrors of growing up under Emily and Richard's roof.

She stood up, kissing Rory on the head and giving her a bottle and a toy to pacify her. It didn't matter, though. She was home alone.

She ran down the hall into her room. Pulling out a duffel bag and a suitcase, a big one that she knew her mother didn't approve of (It was missing the letters LV), and, inhaling deeply, she opened her top drawer, pulling out all of her T-shirts. Emily despised "those things". She then moved to drawer two- jeans and miniskirts that her mother hated. Drawer three- pajamas and underwear. Haphazardly, she threw them into the suitcase, stealing a glance at her closet- the closet filled with the clothes that she hated, or more specifically, the ones that her mother always wanted her to wear. Grinning to herself as she ran out the door into Rory's room, she teased the closet- _You'll never be opened again._

Lorelai burst into Rory's room, frightening the toddler.

"Mama!" Rory cried, reaching for Lorelai. Lorelai obliged, lifting Rory and dancing with her a bit, knowing her time was running out before her parents came home. As Rory stopped crying, she put her down, gave her an Elmo doll that she loved, and turned to Rory's drawers.

She followed the same procedure with the baby's clothes as she had her own, throwing some diapers and wipes into the already somewhat-full diaper bag in the process. This should be enough for four days, Lorelai thought absently. Running into the bathroom to grab her toothbrush, make-up, and only the jewelry she'd made for herself (none of the expensive kind that her mother had bought her), she glanced at Rory's closet, glad that it would never have the chance to fill with clothes Rory hated.

When she had finished packing (Rory's toys and blankets went in a separate bag, along with two cups of juice and some snacks for the road), Lorelai finished the final step. Pulling out a notepad and a pen, she scribbled a note- it was done quickly but all that needed to be said was said.

_Dear Emily and Richard,  
We're gone. I've taken Rory and I've left. We don't belong here- it's crazy for you to think that we do. As much as I know that you love Rory, I know what I need to do for her, and staying here is not an option. We are fine. This is my choice. I'm an adult now- I have been since the day that stick turned pink. Please don't chase us. Please don't call the cops. This is what I need to do. I wish I could say I was sorry, but I can't, because I'm not. This is necessary for me and my daughter.  
Respectfully yours,  
Lorelai V. Gilmore._

And with that, she put Rory in her stroller and pushed her out of the house- to where, she had no idea.


	3. Age One

_A/N- Thanks for the reviews, everybody! They really make me want to write more. Sorry that this chapter took so long. Also, sorry that it's ridiculously long... I guess a lot happened that year. Lol. I hope you enjoy this chapter, please continue RRing!_

_A/N 2- To all the RRers who were asking about if Luke was going to get Jess earlier, originally I didn't even consider it. But now I think I'm going to have that happen. So thanks for giving me story ideas, guys!_

_Disclaimer- Don't own'em... don't think I want to... that'd be too much work... This is just lots of fun to do_

Age One

Kirsten pushed Ryan and Seth through the mall in the double stroller Sandy's office had bought for them when the boys were born. As she walked into The Children's Place and past a pretzel stand, she heard an exasperated whine come from the carriage.

She stopped walking and let go of the carriage, walking around to the front. She found Ryan struggling against the seatbelts as Seth slept peacefully. _He really can sleep through anything, can't he?_ Kirsten asked herself, bending down to comfort Ryan.

"Mommy!" Ryan called, putting out his arms. She kissed him on the forehead and unbuckled him, picking him up and standing.

"What's the matter, Ry?"

"Hungry," Ryan answered, putting his hand on his stomach for dramatic effect._ They really need to learn that they're eighteen months old. They're such drama queens. _She thought, remembering an incident last week where Ryan, barefoot, had stepped on Seth's finger and Seth wouldn't stop crying for an hour.

"You just ate, sweetie."

"Hungry," he repeated desperately.

"All right, sweetheart," She looked around the mall, eyeing the food choices. She didn't want to give him McDonald's- he had had that the day before, and she had a once-a-week rule for the boys and fast food. Her thoughts returned to the pretzel stand, "Do you want a pretzel?" Ryan nodded and Kirsten tapped her cheek; he leaned over and kissed her as she pushed the stroller with a sleeping Seth still in it.

"One pretzel and a Diet Coke, please," Kirsten requested, paying the teenage girl standing inside the stand. She turned her attention to Ryan and ripped off a piece of the pretzel as he greedily grabbed it from her,

"Hey, Mr. Cohen! What do you say?"

"Kank oo," He mumbled through his mouthful of pretzel.

"He's so adorable," Commented the girl in the stand.

"Oh, thank you," She smiled warmly at the girl.

"Are they twins?" The girl asked. It was an innocent question, and one that came Kirsten's way almost every day. She had found it easier to just answer with a simple,

"Yes." After all, they basically were. They were brothers with the same birthday, and they were closer than best friends or usual brothers- they had a twin connection.

"He looks just like you," The girl commented, motioning to Ryan and making faces at him, prompting a laugh. Kirsten sighed, keeping the smile plastered on her face, but inwardly angry that she had to face this yet again._ It isn't her fault. She doesn't know. And for that matter, he kinda does._ She really didn't feel as though Ryan was adopted at all. It actually didn't even occur to her unless someone reminded her or she looked at the adoption plaque hanging next to the baby-naming sheets on the boys' bedroom wall.

"Thank you," She added as she heard Seth begin to stir in the carriage.

"Mommy?" He called in a small voice. Bending down next to him, she brushed the hair out of his eyes as he yawned, eyes closed, and spoke again, "Ryan go?" She smiled, loving that he was concerned and that he noticed that his brother was missing from where he had been when he had fallen asleep.

"Ryan's right here, sweetheart," She answered in a quiet, motherly voice.

"Hi, Eth!" Kirsten laughed as Ryan called to Seth, raising his hand in a wave which Seth returned, eyes still closed. Ryan still couldn't pronounce the letter "S"- it was a particularly difficult one for him.

"Mommy, pretzel?" Seth asked as Kirsten put a flailing Ryan back into his side of the carriage.

"Ryan, stop it. Stop or no more pretzel," Ryan suddenly relaxed and allowed himself to be buckled back in,

"Sure, Seth. Here you go, sweetheart," She gave each boy another piece of pretzel and turned to the girl from the pretzel booth, "Thank you. Bye."

"Bye," She called.

"Bye," Ryan turned around and waved goodbye as the girl squealed in delight.

"All right there, Mr. Friendly, we still need to get you some new clothes," She told Ryan as he laughed and blew a kiss to his mother, "Love you, boys."

"Love you, mommy!" They both called.  
-  
Lorelai danced happily around the potting shed, Rory shrieking gleefully in her arms. She and Rory had lived there for almost six months already, and Rory was flourishing while Lorelai was finally happy.

In the six months that they had lived at the inn, Lorelai felt a surge of growth. She finally understood why she'd always had a burning sensation to leave the house and do something- she had a natural work ethic unrivaled by any of the other maids. She could change a bedspread faster than anyone else, make sure a quarter could bounce off of it, and manage to answer phones in the main office whenever Mia asked. She had taken to making everything.

She would spend spare time making jewelry, including matching necklaces and bracelets for herself and Rory. They were beautiful, and Mia asked if she could have one; Lorelai obliged, and made a necklace and bracelet set matching the ones she and Rory had, giving it to her on her birthday. She used old t-shirts that were too small for her or that she didn't wear so often to make Rory more clothes- she always looked adorable in a tiny AC/DC onesie. Rory's outfits were adorable, and all of the customers at the inn complimented her on them, asking where she had bought the clothing. Mia always told them, proudly, that Lorelai had made them herself.Lorelai knew her mother would never condone making Rory's clothing.

She really liked Mia; she felt like the mother-figure Lorelai had never had. While Lorelai kept Rory with her sometimes as she moved from room to room, Mia often took care of the little girl, even designating a space in her office to be Rory's "play area". When Rory's birthday rolled around, two weeks after she and Lorelai had arrived, Mia threw a surprise party for the little girl in the cafeteria. She invited all the staff, had the chef bake a cake, and even bought Rory new toys. Lorelai had been floored. She couldn't believe someone could be so generous, and repeatedly told Mia not to buy her anything since she'd been so overly-giving with Rory. Mia told her that she made no promises and left a speechless Lorelai with a wink.

She hadn't seen her parents since the day that she and Rory had left, but she had called when she got there, and again on Christmas. Since the holidays were only two months after her "emancipation", she refused to return home.

"Well, why not?" Her mother had asked shakily on the phone.

"Because," Lorelai said, allowing her emotions to run into her mouth, "It's too soon."

"What's too soon? Christmas is in a week. It is most definitely not too soon."

"No, mother. It's too soon for me to come back. I left that world, and I know that if I come back, you're going to try and get me to stay, and I won't have it. Knowing you, you probably will hire a lawyer or ask the cops to come and force me to stay. And that's not what I want. That's not what Rory needs. I'm happy here, and so is she."

"Lorelai, you can't honestly mean that- wherever you are, it can't be like home." Lorelai hadn't informed her mother of her whereabouts, as she knew Emily would come and try to snatch her away in the middle of the night and force her to return to the prison that they called a home.

"I wouldn't know... As far as I know, where I am right now is home."

"You cannot do this to us."

"Do what to you, mother?" She asked- her patience was wearing thin.

"You cannot take that girl and just leave, especially right before her birthday. You don't tell us where you are, or what's happening in your life- I wasn't even able to give my granddaughter a birthday present when she turned one. It's not right."

"Mom, it's so right that you would not believe. I belong here. Rory belongs here. We're happy. And just to let you know, not everything is about you and not everything is about money and presents. I was just calling to wish you a Merry Christmas, and if you can't take that with a grain of salt, then I might as well tell you goodbye."

"Fine, Lorelai. Be stubborn. But eventually you will realize that you belong here."

"No, I don't, Mom. You belong there. Merry Christmas." She heard her mother sobbing on the other end,

"Wish Rory a Merry Christmas from us."

"Bye, mom." And with that, she hung up, and didn't speak to her mother for another three months.

And she was perfectly alright with that.  
-  
Kirsten kneeled on the floor of her and Sandy's room, attempting to pull a sweater over Seth's head, which was flailing violently.

"Honey, you need to put on this sweater."

"No!" He answered forcefully, now bringing his arms into the picture. _This kid is good,_ Thought Kirsten.

"Yeah, you need to wear this sweater for today- for when grandma and grandpa get here."

"No! Yucky Sweater!"

"Seth Ezekiel, you need to put this sweater on right now!" At this point, Seth was sobbing- boy, did he hate this sweater.

"NO!" This one was more forceful, but she realized that it hadn't come from Seth. _At least Sandy's dealing with the same thing._ As if on cue, Ryan came running in from his and Seth's bedroom (Sandy and Kirsten had thought it a better idea to change the boys separately- they gave up easier when they didn't have the other to back them up), sweater over his neck, but arms still only through his undershirt.

"Mommy!" Ryan called, and ran to Kirsten, crying into her shoulder. Sandy came trailing in.

"Man, that kid is fast," He commented, out of breath. Kirsten suppressed a laugh and motioned to Sandy to try with Seth- maybe with a different parent, the boys would listen.

"Ryan, honey, what's the matter?" She asked, kissing his hair.

"Yucky Sweater! Bad daddy!"

"No, honey. You need to wear the sweater."

"No!"

"Yeah, you do. Look, Seth's wearing one, too."

"No!" _Usually that works,_ Kirsten thought helplessly, hearing Sandy tell Seth that Ryan was also wearing a sweater, eliciting the same response. _Time for a different approach, I guess._

"Sweetheart, you need to wear this sweater to show Grandpa and Grandma how handsome you guys are."

"NO! NO NANA!" Ryan screamed, terrified. Kirsten was take aback by the reaction as her son slowly reverted to a sobbing heap on the floor. She knew the boys could sense the hostile tone that their grandmother took to Kirsten when she visited, though she was nice to them (Although she knew they hated her cheek pinches and wet kisses) She picked him up and attempted to soothe him,

"No, sweetie. Not Nana. Grandma. Shh. Come on. No more crying." She danced around with him until he was merely inhaling deeply every now and then. With his head on her shoulder, Kirsten couldn't see his face, but she could see Seth's as Sandy danced with him, using the same method to calm him as she had Ryan. She quickly realized that Seth had fallen asleep on Sandy's shoulder and whispered,

"He must have tired himself out."

"Is he asleep?"

"Yeah. Is Ryan?" It struck her as odd that her son hadn't said anything. Sandy leaned over and peered into his son's face.

"Completely out."

"Good," They both said, and each began to tenderly put the sweaters on the boys, then carrying them to their rooms and gingerly putting them in their cribs for a nap. Sandy put his arm around Kirsten's waist and whispered,

"Our turn."

-

Lorelai had taken easily to the town of Star's Hollow. She loved the quiet, the simplicity, and the innocence. She loved the people- Miss Patty, who had quickly fallen in love with Rory, Taylor, who oftentimes gave the little girl a free cookie to munch on while her mother food-shopped, and even crazy Kirk, who was around her age, but seemed to want to be a social outcast- he made her laugh. She loved her new best friend.

She had met Sookie St. James one day after school let out. It was a cool March afternoon when she had taken her daily break to take Rory for a nice walk around town. She happened to be walking past Stars Hollow High School when a flustered-looking girl came running down the stairs out of the school. The girl's apron that she wore over a Saturday Night Fever t-shirt was covered in something powdery- sugar, Lorelai assumed, and her hair was pulled into a messy bun.

As the girl ran, she suddenly tripped, spilling the books she had in her hand. Lorelai stopped pushing Rory's stroller and bent down to help the girl collect her scattered belongings.

"Oh, thanks... I'm such a klutz," The girl said, blushing.

"That's ok, everyone's allowed a klutzy moment now and then."

"Yeah, well if now and then means every sixty seconds, then I'm within boundaries." Lorelai laughed. This girl was funny... and around her age. She hadn't had much contact with anyone her own age since... well, since her seventh month.

"What are you running for?"

"Oh, well I dropped my batter for the thing I was cooking and now I need to run over to Doose's and get new ingredients. My teacher told me to go quickly."

"Mind if I tag along? I was heading over there anyway."

"Sure. It'd be nice to have some company... I'm Sookie."

"Lorelai." "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

"Do you go to Stars Hollow High?"

"Ummm... no." "Chilton?"

"No..."

"Then where do you go?"

"Oh, I don't go to school."

"Oh..." Sookie wasn't sure how to react to this- she'd never met anyone who was her age and not in school. It was then that she noticed the stroller that Lorelai was pushing. Lorelai watched her glance with curiosity at the carriage and then quickly bring her eyes forward again.

"This is Rory," Lorelai offered. Sookie sighed with relief and turned to Lorelai,

"Little sister?"

"Daughter."

"Oh..." Again, she didn't know how to respond. _How could this girl be so calm about all of this?_ Lorelai tried to re-initiate the conversation- she couldn't take the silence.

"Ummm, yeah... I work over at the Independence Inn. I'm a maid there. I ran away from home and Mia, the owner, was really nice about it. She gave me a place to stay and she's really been helping out with Rory."

"Oh... I've met her before. She seems pretty nice."

"The nicest," Lorelai corrected her, smiling as they entered the market, starting a lifelong friendship.

-

Later the same day, Kirsten was brushing Seth's hair (Ryan's had been easy, other than the fight he had offered as she tried to manage his straight blonde bowl-cut.), fruitlessly attempting to tame his wild curls. She got it as good as it could be and lifted her son, kissing him and twirling while he giggled hysterically.  
Suddenly, she heard the doorbell ring,

"It's showtime," She said quietly to herself and ran down the hallway, Seth bouncing in her arms. She arrived at the door to find Sandy holding Ryan,

"You ready?"

"As ready as you are."

"Which means neither of us is ready. You ready, boys?"

"No." They both said in unison.  
"You have no idea how much." With that, she opened the door to greet her mother, father, and younger sister, Hailey.

"Hi, everybody!" Kirsten greeted cheerfully, shifting Seth on her hip.

"Hey, there, Kiki!" Her father greeted enthusiastically, affectionately hugging his daughter who awkwardly returned the hug.

"Hi, dad."

"Hey, Alice," Sandy greeted- she was his favorite in-law, and he knew his wife was so proud of her mother- they were extremely close. She hugged him warmly.

"Sandy. How are you treating my grandchildren?" She teased, hugging him.

"Oh, you know. We just let them out of the dungeon about an hour ago, so pretty good, considering." She laughed heartily and Kirsten's heart jumped. She loved that laugh- it always warmed her heart and made her feel safe and at home. She ran to hug her mother,

"Mom!"

"Kirsten! You look wonderful!"

"Look who's talking!" Kirsten answered, tears beginning to well in her eyes as she warmly embraced her mother, the woman she always aspired to be, even with her parenting techniques. They rocked back and forth in each others' arms and pulled apart two minutes later, looking into each other's tear filled eyes and then returning for another hug.

Across the room, the atmosphere was quite different.

"Sanford," Caleb greeted bluntly.

"Hi, Cal," Sandy attempted, trying to appease Kirsten. He had promised he would be civil, as long as her father was, too. Caleb put out his hand for a handshake as Sandy awkwardly repositioned Ryan, who was a quivering wreck, clutching tightly to Sandy (he didn't deal well with new people), to his left side in order to offer his right hand.

It didn't go unnoticed by Sandy that, while Ryan had not exactly jumped into Alice's arms, he had still been more relaxed around her than he was around Caleb. He glanced over at Seth, who had been clinging to his mother and anxiously looking around the room, searching for any escape, but he now seemed calm- he was even smiling. _Yeah, well, children sense things that adults don't. I mean, this one's pretty obvious, but at least the boys have a good judge of character_ He thought, bouncing Ryan and kissing the crown of his head to comfort him.

He turned to find Kirsten already hugging Hailey, who seemed awkward and uncomfortable in this world- a wholesome family environment. Kirsten's little sister had always been a troublemaker, but she was so excited when the boys were born. She eagerly tickled Seth's stomach, who giggled, still holding tightly, though a little less so, to his mother.

"Hey, Hailey!" He called as he ventured over to her, lifting Ryan up in the process.

"Sandy! How's my favorite brother-in-law?"

"I'm pretty good. And yourself?" They pulled into a friendly hug.

"I can't complain. Is this my other handsome nephew?"

"No this is your handsome brother-in-law," She laughed, "Oh! You mean him! Why, yes, this is."

"Well, I know that this is Seth- I've been told. So, my guess is, that this is Ryan?" Ryan turned at the mention of his name from the window, where he had been diverting his attention in an unconscious attempt to calm himself.

"This is indeed Ryan. Say hi, Ry," He tickled Ryan's stomach and Ryan buried his head, laughing, in Sandy's neck.

After that, the boys seemed to loosen up- at least around Alice and Hailey. The women all laughed as the boys played together on the floor, building houses and engaging in mock-adult banter. As Alice and Hailey made faces at the boys, Kirsten watched on, glad that her family was together again.

She noticed, however, that Sandy and Caleb were still engaging in their awkward, vengeful small talk the next room over. _I guess some things will never change._ She thought helplessly.

At 7:30, after dinner had been served and the boys were sitting on the floor, clutching teddy bears and watching TV, Sandy noticed Seth and Ryan begin to yawn,; this prompted a glance at the clock.

"Bedtime," He announced softly, so the boys wouldn't hear him. Kirsten stood up beside him and he lifted Ryan, while Kirsten picked up Seth.

They made their way to the boys' bedroom with Kirsten's family trailing behind them. When they entered the room, they put the boys on their individual changing tables (They had found it easier to have two so that the boys could be changed at the same time), and began to talk to them.

"Seth! Who's mommy's big boy?"

"Me!" He called, and raised his hand.

"And who does mommy love?"

"Me!"

"And who does daddy love?"

"Me!"

"And who does Ryan love?"

"Me!"

"Who's sweet?"

"Me!" This was a game that she had started with Seth and Ryan when they were about thirteen months old, and both boys knew how the game was played. She continued to talk to him as she heard in the background,  
"Daddy. Elmo, please!"

Kirsten smiled as she heard Sandy bend down to get Ryan his Elmo doll and laughed as she heard Ryan's delighted giggle- the one that meant Sandy had blown a "sherbet" on Ryan's stomach. Ryan sat and played gleefully with his Elmo doll and the process of changing him and Seth was going smoothly, as usual. That is, until Caleb interrupted.

"Kiki, I thought you said it was their bedtime."

"It is."

"Then why are you indulging them?"

"Doing what, dad?"

"Indulging them. You're speaking to Seth. You're keeping him awake longer and playing with him. Your husband is allowing Ryan to play with a toy and speaking to him."

"We're bonding with them, dad."

"Diaper changing is not a bonding time, Kiki."

"Actually, dad, any time is a bonding time," Her patience was wearing thin. She picked up the now pajama-clad Seth and turned on her heel to meet Sandy and Ryan on the other side of the room. Sandy picked up Ryan and he and Kirsten put the boys in their cribs.

"Goodnight, Seth. I love you." Kirsten said, kissing his forehead.

"Night-night. Love you." Seth answered automatically.

"Goodnight, Ry. I love you." Sandy said at the same time, kissing Ryan good night.

"Night, daddy. Love you." They switched sides and said goodnight to their other sons and allowed everyone else to say goodnight to the boys before turning off their light and heading downstairs.

Ten minutes later, everyone was sitting around, talking on the couch while Caleb distractedly listened to the babbling on the baby monitor.

"What is that?" He asked, genuinely confused. Kirsten listened for a second, then answered simply,

"Seth and Ryan."

"You're letting them stay up and play with each other?"

"They're not tired yet. They'll fall asleep when they are."

"Kiki, this never would've been allowed at our house. I can't believe you're allowing all of Sanford's crazy hippy parenting techniques to take charge."

"Dad! This is my house, these are my kids, that is my husband. I know what is right for them and I cannot stand your constant judgment. This is how the boys are being raised. This is the way it is, so if you can't deal with it, then leave." Everyone sat there, shocked by Kirsten's uncharacteristic outburst, until Caleb finally spoke up,

"Fine. If this is the way it's going to be, then so be it." They all sat in silence for a few more minutes, and then the polite banter picked up again.

Three days later, when it came time for the Nichols to return to California, everyone was distraught, even the once-shy boys.

"Grandma! No! No go!" Ryan cried.

"Aunt Hailey no bye-bye!" Seth screamed. Neither of the boys screamed for Caleb not to leave, but that did not phase him from giving them his usual unaffectionate goodbye,

"Goodbye, Ryan. Hope to see you soon. Goodbye, Seth. It's been a pleasure." Sandy leaned over to his wife,

"Does he know they're not forty-year-old businessmen?" Kirsten stifled a laugh and said goodbye to her family, crying as she hugged her mother.

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'll call. Every day."

"You'd better."

"Love you, mom."

"Love you, too, Kirsten." They waved goodbye as the cab pulled away, and Sandy noticed tears streaming down Kirsten's face. As he pulled her close to him and engulfed her in a hug, she whispered,

"I just want to be as good a mom as she is."

"Then let's go play with the boys," Sandy whispered simply, kissing her temple and leading her back inside.

-

Lorelai had made another connection that she really enjoyed- with Luke, the diner owner. While most people saw him as gruff, rude, and evasive, Lorelai thought he was sweet, and they quickly became friends. She still remembered the first time they'd met, a scene she'd played over and over again in her head while she was working.

"Coffee!" She'd called desperately as she entered the diner. She looked around and took in her surroundings; she liked it there. It was warm and welcoming, clean and a bit old-fashioned. Something her mother would've called "rustic" to the owner's face, but a "crap-pile" behind his back.

She sat at the counter, Rory perched next to her, and waited to be served (not patiently, mind you). The diner owner, Luke, had noticed her the minute she'd walked in. She was beautiful- thin, tall, with piercing blue eyes that were the first thing that Luke had been drawn to when she walked in. As the waiter was about to bring her coffee, Luke stopped him with a simple,

"I've got this one." The waiter knew what it meant and backed off, allowing Luke to take the coffee pot and walk purposefully towards the Gilmore girls.

"Hi," he smiled at her as he began to pour her a cup.

"Coffee! Bless you!" She breathed, and began to watch the man in front of her. He was about two years older than she was with blue eyes, unruly brown hair, and muscles peeking out from under his flannel t-shirt. She was instantly attracted to him, as he was to her.

"You seem stressed."

"Compared to when you usually see me?"

"No, you just seem stressed."

"Just in desperate need of caffeine."

"Fine, fair enough... your niece?" He asked, motioning to Rory, who was looking around the diner curiously.

"My daughter," Lorelai answered between sips of coffee. Luke was taken aback,

"Oh! Um... do you... go to school?"

"Nope. I work at the independence inn," She answered simply.

"Oh... I'm Luke." It was the only thing he could think to say.

"Lorelai. This is Rory." She was clinging to the cup of coffee for all it was worth.

"Well, would you and Rory like something to eat, or is one cup of coffee going to be it for the two of you?" He'd recovered pretty quickly from calling her daughter her niece and wanted to make a better impression.

"Mmm," Lorelai swallowed the mouthful of coffee sitting behind her lips, "Yes, please. I will have a hamburger and french fries and she will have a muffin."

"What kind?"

"I don't know. Surprise me." She loved the friendly flirting that they had going on. Luke returned five minutes later with two plates and a sippy-cup of milk with a straw for Rory.

"Oh, that's so sweet. You didn't have to do that," Lorelai thanked him, taking the cup and giving it to Rory.

"Oh, I have a nephew her age. My sister left some of the cups here last time they visited. It's no big deal."

"It's very nice of you. Say thank you, Ror."

"Thank you," she chimed in before slurping the milk. They engaged in polite banter and were happy to be able to tell each other when Lorelai left,

"See you tomorrow."

Lorelai was really happy. She loved that Luke was so attentive when she and Rory visited the diner, always serving them, always taking time to speak to them. He was very caring around Rory, bringing her surprises, talking to her, and giving her a cookie "for the road" every day before they left. They soon began talking about their backgrounds- how Luke had lost his mother when he was a little boy and his father the year before, how Lorelai didn't speak to her parents and hoped that some day they could come to terms with her and Rory's lifestyle. They understood each other and truly enjoyed each others' company.

What they both really, truly enjoyed, however, was their attraction to one another. They'd both felt it since the first day she'd walked into the diner. Every day he anxiously looked up at the door every time he heard the bell ring, hoping it was her. Every day she refused service unless it was Luke who served her. Every day, they were excited to see each other and become closer to each other than ever before.

Luke considered her his best friend. He didn't know anyone else who he could be so open with, and no one else knew everything about him the way that Lorelai did. She made him laugh and she could lighten any mood. Truthfully, he just loved to look at her. He'd never felt this way with anyone before- not even with his high school sweetheart, Rachel. She made him feel happy and complete.

Lorelai found him to be an excellent companion. He was fun to talk to and easy to open up to and so sweet and considerate. She loved how he was with Rory- he was becoming more of a father to her than Christopher had ever been or tried to be. Rory was excited to see Luke every day when they entered the diner and he always made her laugh. With every passing day, Lorelai found herself more attracted to him.

The problem, however,was thatneither of them knew how to act. Lorelai didn't know if she should ask him out or not. _Does he respond to assertive women? Is he old fashioned- would he like me asking him out? Does he even like me like that?_

Luke struggled with the same problem. _Would she date me, or is she still not dating? Is she turned off by guys forever? Does she even like me?_

This question was answered every day by Miss Patty and Babette, two of the women that Lorelai had met in town. The two would sit across the diner and watch, gossiping, as Luke and Lorelai flirted.

"Those two belong together."

"I know. They're both attracted to each other."

"Look at him. In all of the years that you've known him, have you ever seen him that way around a woman? He's happy!"

"And around Rory. I tell you, that man adores that little girl."

"I don't know why they don't ask each other out on a date."

The two soon got their wish as Luke began to muster the courage to ask Lorelai out. A few days before Rory's second birthday, Lorelai entered the diner with the little girl bouncing happily on her hip.

"LUKE!" Rory called.

"Hi, Rory! Hey, Lorelai," Luke smiled as he entered from the back room, wiping his hands clean. They took their usual seats and he appeared at Lorelai's side, clutching a coffee pot. He poured Lorelai a cup and gave Rory her usual sippy cup, today filled with apple juice.

"How're you guys?" Luke asked.

"We're fine. And yourself?" Lorelai played along.

"I am just fine today."

"Alright, enough with the polite crap," Luke laughed, "Hey, Rory's birthday party is on Saturday at the inn. You're invited."

"You don't need to do that."

"She really likes you. And so do I for that matter. 12:00 sharp." She smiled at her not-so-subtle hint.

"I'll be there." It had been six months since they'd first met and they found themselves being drawn closer together day by day. They sat and ate, talking to one another as they did every day. Asthegirlsbegan to pay and stand up to leave, Luke allowed himself to blurt out,

"Hey... what are you doing this Friday night?"

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"Well... no, Caesar's closing and I have reservations to a restaurant I made last month and... yeah, I am. And now I'm rambling." Lorelai smiled and cheered inwardly.

"Yeah, I'm free."

"OK. I'll pick you up at six. It's just dinner and a movie. Casual dress."

"Great. See you then." She smiled and picked up Rory, bidding him a goodbye and leaving with the little girl, dancing with her back to the inn.

Friday night at five, Lorelai had showered and was picking her outfit for the night. As Rory played on the floor, Lorelai spoke to her,

"Ror, you're going to spend a little while with Sookie tonight, ok?" Rory nodded, too distracted by her toy to answer, "What do you think, Rory? This one or this one?" She pulled out two outfits- one a little black dress with a pink suit jacket to wear over it and the other a long, flowy black skirt with flowers and a low-cut pink sweater.

Rory glanced up from her toy and pointed to the flowered-skirt outfit.

"I agree." She got changed and soon there was a knock on the door. Lorelai got up and finished hooking her earring, opening the door to find Sookie, wearing jeans and a cardigan set with her hair in a messy bun, standing patiently outside.

"You look beautiful!" was Sookie's greeting.

"Thanks," Lorelai blushed and hugged Sookie hello.

"I can't believe you're going out with Luke!"

"I know!" The two girls squealed and began to jump up and down, "I really, really like him, Sook. I've never felt this strongly towards anyone, including Christopher."

"Rory's father?"

"Yeah... it's just... he's so sweet and different from other guys." Sookie smiled and the two spent the next twenty minutes discussing Lorelai's possible relationship with Luke. When it was five to six, Sookie stood up,

"My mom is expecting me back. She's so excited to spend time with the baby. C'mon, Rory." Rory put up her arms for Sookie.

"Hey, Sook, I wrote down the number for where I'll be in case she freaks. She can eat pretty much anything and whenever she passes out, she passes out. It's not a big deal. Bye, sweets. I love you."

"Love you, mommy." Lorelai pecked Rory's cheek and Rory and Sookie set out.

Five minutes later, there was another knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Lorelai asked cheerfully, her heart pounding inside her chest.

"Your knight in shining armor."

"Oh! Do you have a horse?"

"Lorelai, just open the door." There was no need for politeness between the two of them. She opened the door and smiled at him.

"Wow, you look... gorgeous," He said, breathless.

"Why, thank you. You look rather dapper yourself."

"Shall we?"

"We shall." And they set out on their date.

Luke took her to a restaurant near Hartford whose name she was skeptical about,

"Sniffy's? Really?"

"The owners are friends of my parents. Great people." They went into the diner and sat at a reserved table. After some polite conversation about Luke whacking someone before the end of the night, a nice conversation with Maisy and Buddy, the people who owned the diner (in which they told her that Luke was "a special one". _Yeah, like I didn't know_ _that._ She thought to herself.), and a trip to the movies (a romantic one, where Lorelai cried and Luke held her to him), Luke returned Lorelai home.

"I had a great time," He said.

"Me too."

"So, we should do it again sometime?"

"Sometime soon, definitely."

"So..." Neither of them knew what to say. But they both knew what to do. Slowly, they leaned into each other, kissing each other, first slowly, then deeply and passionately. The kiss lasted for three full minutes and they both reluctantly pulled apart.

"Great... so, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yup... See you tomorrow." And she opened the door to her house as he left, both of them looking forward to tomorrow.


	4. Age Two

_A/N- OK, to clarify some of the questions that I've gotten in my reviews (which I love, by the way). In this chapter, at least, Kirsten's probably about 23, Sandy's about 25, Luke is about 21, and Lorelai is about 18 or 19. Ryan and Jess will bond over some anti-Dean themes (I used to love him- I just don't like him any more...). And the story will be one chapter a year until the Cohens move to Connecticut (Which is soonish). Let me know if you have any other questions!_

_A/N 2- In case I haven't mentioned it, I really love the reviews! Please continue R&Ring, because it inspires me to write more!_

_Disclaimer- As I've said, I own nothing..._

Age Two

Lorelai found herself and Luke spending more and more time together as time wore on. They had official dates anywhere from twice to five times a week, and the rest of the time they had sleepovers at her house- she needed to stay with Rory, of course. Every day, Rory and Lorelai would go for breakfast and lunch at Luke's and would have nice family dinners where Luke would cook for them either in his apartment or in their potting shed at the inn.

Slowly but surely, they began to meld together, becoming a solid family. Luke and Lorelai fell madly in love- they were sure no one had ever been this in love before. They loved everything about one another.

Lorelai loved every facet of him. She loved his looks. She loved his eyes, his build, the way his hair messily peeked out from under the baseball cap he wore backwards on his head every day. She loved his personality. She loved his dry wit, his sense of humor, and the affection he showed for her and Rory. Mostly, she loved how everyone said what a changed man he was. How he used to be withdrawn and grumpy, and now was happy, sweet, and obliging. She loved that she did that to him.

Luke loved every bit of Lorelai. He loved her beauty, but that one was obvious (He had a habit of getting jealous if he saw another guy looking at her.). He loved her warmth. He loved the way she was around Rory- how she treated her like a person, not a baby or a child. They had some bizarre connection that he couldn't get between, but he was alright with that. He had another connection with the little girl- she adored him and the feeling was mutual. He loved Lorelai for the fact that she didn't care what anyone else thought, but she was still so open and welcoming into her life.

The two, though they were so madly in love, had trouble expressing it for the first time. It just never seemed as though timing was right. Strangely enough, timing was right at the most unexpected of moments.

Luke had always expected he'd tell her during a romantic dinner. Or at a picnic in the park. Or in the heat of the moment. Or, actually, in the middle of a fight. But none of these things were happening when he finally admitted the truth out loud.

It was a cold night in the middle of December- close to Christmas, he'd later recall, when he'd come to spend the night with Rory and Lorelai. He showed up without bags as a lot of his stuff had wound up there over the past few months and he knocked on the door, not needing to wait long before it opened.

"Hi!" Lorelai greeted, perky as ever.

"Hey." He leaned in and gave her a quick peck hello, which she returned eagerly. He walked in to find Rory sitting on the floor in front of the tiny television that the girls had, The Little Mermaid playing on it.

"She's watching it again?" He asked his girlfriend, incredulous that the little girl could stand to watch the same movie every day.

"Yeah," Suddenly they were interrupted by Rory, who was singing at the top of her lungs,

"The seaweed is always greener... in somebody else's lake. You dream about going up there, but that is a big mistake!" She knew every word. So did Luke and Lorelai, for that matter. While Rory was distracted, Lorelai pulled Luke outside for a moment. She kissed him deeply, stealing the precious moment that Rory allowed them.

"What was that for?" He asked breathlessly.

"You're the perfect man. Just thought I'd let you know I appreciate you." He smiled and leaned in for another kiss,

"I'm glad to be of service." They headed back inside, mostly because the cold was beginning to get to them. Rory's eyes didn't move from the TV as Luke walked over to greet her hello,

"Hey, kiddo." He gave her a kiss on the top of her forehead, "Little Mermaid?" The only response was a nod, "Are you hungry?" Another nod, "Do you want to wait until the movie's over?" One last nod, "Ok, I'll get the food started." She didn't even acknowledge him this time. He walked to Lorelai and kissed her cheek, "She gets more like you every day."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Possibly..." he mused and laughed at her fake pout. He pulled out the assorted odds and ends of food that he had left at their house and began to cook.

An hour later, after Lorelai dropped a bowl of egg whites, stepped on Luke's toe, and let out a bad word (which Rory was quickly warned not to emulate), the food was ready and the table was set. Luke began to place the food in the middle of the table and Lorelai went to go get Rory.

"Rory, sweets, it's dinnertime." Rory only smiled in response, and quickly got up, turned on her heel, and landed in front of her space at the dinner table, raising her arms in the air.

"I need help," She proclaimed.

"Magic word?" Asked Luke, before Lorelai got the chance- she loved that he acted like a father with her.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease," She elongated the word, twisting her mouth into a long straight line.

"Good girl." He came behind her, picked her up, threw her in the air, and finally allowed her to land in her booster chair.

"Thank you very much," She stated.

"She's very precocious lately, Lorelai."

"I know. I need to stop letting her watch Annie." They laughed and enjoyed their time together, and by the time dinner was over, it was 6:45- time for Rory's bath. Luke and Lorelailoved bathing Rory together, one of them holding her and the other pouring water over her head to wash out any excess shampoo. Rory, unlike most kids her age, really loved baths, especially on nights that she was tired. Tonight, Rory was overjoyed with her bath, allowing the water to warm her and playing quietly with her rubber duck, singing to herself,

"Rubber ducky, you're the one..." They soon dried her off and sent her into her room to get pajamas. It was a tradition they'd started when she was younger- that she could pick out her own pajamas and bring them to Lorelai and Luke, and they'd help her put them on. Soon, Lorelai picked up a yawning Rory and brought her to her miniature bed, lying her down and looking into her half-asleep eyes.

"Night, Rory. Love you."

"Night, mommy. Love you." She kissed Rory's forehead and moved out of the way to let Luke have a turn.

"Goodnight, Rory. I love you," He kissed her cheek as she responded,

"I love you, daddy. Night." Luke's eyes grew wide, as did Lorelai's behind him, and he turned around and shut the light, moving towards the kitchen to finish cleaning up. Lorelai chased after him,

"I'm so sorry. I'll wake her up. I'll wake her up and tell her not to call you daddy anymore. You don't need that responsibility. I'm so sorry. She's still a little kid. I guess she just saw all the little kids around the inn and their dads and saw the way you act with her and... sometimes she's too smart for her own good. You know what, I'll go wake her right now..."

"Lorelai, don't," Luke interrupted her.

"No, no. I'm going to." He bent down and kissed her to quiet her. As he pulled away, he began to speak,

"Don't wake her up. It's not necessary. I wasn't mad that she said it... I was just surprised."

"But you shouldn't be surprised. You shouldn't have to be."

"I want to be. I'm glad that she called me... 'daddy'," it was awkward for him to say, but he smiled broadly as he said it- it was a big relief, "I think I am her dad... if you'll let me be."

"If you want to be, of course you are."

"Good... because I love that little girl as much as I love you. Very different ways, of course."

"OK. Then I'm glad that you're happy that she..." what he'd just said dawned on her slowly, "Did you just say you... Are you in... You..."

"I love you, Lorelai." There was a few minutes timewhere the expectant silence was filled only with Lorelai's gasps for air that seemed to be grasping for words. Slowly, they found them. They were simple, they were ordinary, but they were perfect.

"I love you, too, Luke." And with that, they began the first perfect night of their relationship, not knowing that there would be thousands more to come.  
-  
"Sandy?" Kirsten called from the kitchen. Sandy wandered in to find that cake mix, eggs, and oil had congealed to make a thick paste that was now sitting blandly on top of the kitchen counter.

"Woah! Did Betty Crocker get into a fight with Duncan Hines?" he asked incredulously, grabbing a towel and beginning to wipe.

"It's the boys," she said with a sigh, "I tried to bake a cake with them." Sandy nodded, understanding immediately. At two and a half years old, they were exhibiting classic signs of the terrible twos. Seth had become increasingly argumentative, refusing bedtime, food, and discipline. Ryan had learned to hit and knock things over. Unlike Seth, however, he listened, while unlike Ryan, Seth was basically calm.

Kirsten, though, still encouraged the boys, allowing them to flourish. While their behavior seemed bad at home to Kirsten and Sandy, to the other mothers in the park, the boys seemed remarkably well-behaved.

Kirsten remembered one conversation she'd had with a mother of a four-year-old named Michael,

"How old did you say your boys were?"

"They're two years and six months," Kirsten had replied proudly.

"Really? Well, I must say," Kirsten braced for the barrage of comments on the boys' misbehavior, "they're remarkably good."

"Excuse me?"

"Your boys. Seth whined a little bit, but he listened after three warnings. It used to take Michael 6 warnings and a threat to take away TV before he stopped. Ryan's hitting things, but not people."

"Oh, no, never people. He just likes to hit his toys. It's difficult to make him stop, but we're trying."

"Michael used to hit everyone. He's hit his brother, his nanny, his dog, that little girl, Olivia, over there, even me." Kirsten was shocked. Ryan liked to hit and kick things, but he wouldn't dream of hitting a person- especially not her, Seth, or Sandy. He was too sweet; he had a habit of kissing everyone's "boo-boo's" if they were ever hurt or crying. Seth didn't always listen, but she'd never had to threaten to take anything away before. He always listened soon after Kirsten began to lecture him, and he'd often use his argumentativeness to protect his brother. Kirsten fondly remembered a day when an over-sized 5-year-old (who looked like he was 13) told Ryan to give him the cookie in his pudgy hand. Seth had stood as tall as he could and confidently told the boy,

"No! That's my brother's cookie!" The boy seemed taken aback, but had said,

"Now it's my cookie!"

"My mommy gave it to my brother. That's Ryan's cookie and you can't have it!" The boy soon left, realizing that he'd get nothing from the spunky Seth and Ryan, who'd stood up to join his brother in his cookie crusade. The boys' "terrible" traits came in handy on one fateful day later that month.

Kirsten had been around the house, cleaning up after the boys as they took their nap peacefully up in their bedroom. She had spent the morning out with the boys, shopping for food and clothes for the boys. They seemed to need new clothes every week; they were growing so fast. She winced as she stepped on an Elmo figurine and bent down to pick up the offending toy. _If I didn't love them so much, this would count as pain._ It was then that she noticed the blinking light on the answering machine. She pressed play and listened as she moved about the room.

"Hey, Kirsten. Hey, Sandy. It's Jimmy. Listen, Julie and Marissa and I are in town this week, we were wondering if you guys wanted to get together and do something. We're staying at the Plaza- Julie's choice, not mine. This is one very expensive city that you and your family live in. OK, well, I'll try back later. I'll talk to you soon. Bye." Kirsten smiled at the familiar voice on the phone. She remembered when she had become pregnant with Seth the same time Julie was pregnant with Marissa- they sent each other pictures when the babies was born, and she loved the shock in Jimmy's voice when he'd just found out about Ryan. She laughed to herself as the second message began to play,

"Hello, Mrs. Cohen. This is Dr. Philipson's office calling about your son, Ryan. We have his prescription available for his ear drops, you can come by whenever and pick it up. If you have any questions, please call us back at 555-2132." She quickly grabbed a pen and pencil and messily scribbled the phone number. The next message began to play,

"Hi, Sandy. It's your office calling, reminding you to bring in that portfolio tomorrow! Don't forget or there's no way we can win the case! See you tomorrow, bye." The pleasant old woman's voice disappeared and soon a new one filled the space,

"Hello, Kirsten, honey. It's me," Kirsten sat at the sound of her mother's voice- she sounded sad from the start, "Listen, sweetheart, I need to talk to you about something. I need to speak to you... please call me back when you get this message. I love you. Send my love to Sandy and the boys. Bye, darling." Kirsten allowed herself to collapse backwards on the couch. Her mother didn't sound alright. In fact, she sounded far from it. Her voice was tired and worn, and she sounded as though she had been crying. _Why has my mother been crying? _She thought helplessly. _Only one way to find out._

She picked up the phone and noiselessly, effortlessly dialed the number. It rang a few times until on the third ring, Kirsten heard the unmistakable click of the phone being answered.

"Nichol residence."

"Hi, may I speak to Alice Nichol, please?"

"Who may I say is calling?"

"Her daughter. Kirsten." She heard the rustle of the phone passing hands and her mother's voice,

"Hello?"

"Mom, hi!"

"Kirsten, dear! It's wonderful to hear your voice." Her mother's voice didn't sound right and she knew it. She let it slide, knowing that her mother would tell her when the time was right. "So, how are the boys?"

"Good. The definition of terrible two, but good."

"Oh, really?"

"Well, Seth is... Seth. He's very argumentative. He just doesn't want to listen to Sandy or me at all. And Ryan's taken to hitting things."

"People?"

"No."

"Then, it sounds like you have two exceptionally well-behaved two-year-olds on your hands."

"That's what the other moms keep telling me. But it still stresses me out."

"Oh, please. When you were two, you had a habit of throwing yourself on the floor if I wouldn't let you have a cookie before dinner. And if we were in the supermarket or the mall and you wanted something- please, you refused to move from the spot you were unless i bought you something. And your sister? Hailey used to hit me if I wouldn't let her watch television for five hours minimum. Then, if you had a toy that she wanted, she'd hit you until you gave it to her."

"I don't remember that."

"Well, she hit you in the head..."

"Mom!" Kirsten laughed, still distracted by the thoughts lurking in the back of her mind. She couldn't take this idle small talk anymore, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, honey..." Her mother seemed to be mustering her strength, "Are you sitting?"

"No, should I?"

"It may be best," Kirsten took a break from the worried path she'd been following while pacing and told her mother to continue, "Well... I went to the doctor earlier this week," She paused, breathing in slowly, "for my yearly checkup," Kirsten knew that this wasn't leading anywhere good, "I haven't been feeling well lately and... Kirsten... "

"Mom?" Kirsten was panicked.

"Kirsten, honey. This is very difficult for me to say..." She paused and allowed herself to regain her composure, "I have ovarian cancer. Now, it's not in its earliest stages, but it's not too far along yet. They say I still have a chance for survival. And just remember, people live through cancer all the time. There's survivors of all kinds of cancer everywhere you turn." The words had just begun to spill out- she had no control over herself or what she was saying, a habit that Kirsten had inherited. They spoke for another twenty minutes, Kirsten spewing her fears and crying, her mother attempting, in vain, to comfort her. Alice eventually, slowly said,

"Alright, darling. I have to go."

"Ok, mom."

"I love you."

"You, too."

"My love to the boys. And Sandy."

"Of course..." A pause, and a sigh, "Mom?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I'll see you... soon. Bye." And she hung up the phone, leaving Alice perplexed, collapsing onto the couch, moving only to call Sandy and tell him to get home quickly. Her world was crumbling beneath her.  
-  
Luke sat, flipping through the pile of receipts from the previous night, and he realized that he was smiling; he did it subconsciously lately, and found it slightly silly- that is, until he realized why he was smiling. He had a family. He had a girlfriend who he loved immensely and a daughter who he adored. And both of the feelings were mutual. They were sweet, loving, and they all took care of each other. Sometimes he laughed at the idea that Rory was more adult than her mother and father. He glanced at the pictures of Lorelai and Rory sitting on his desk and then at his watch. _Oh! I'm late!_

Grabbing the receipts, he got up and sprinted down the stairs

"Caesar!" Caesar was the first one he'd hired when he changed the diner from a hardware store, "I'm going."

"Oh, that's right. You're babysitting Rory today."

"I am not babysitting her. I am spending the day with her while Lorelai has to go out."

"Ok."

"You've got it covered?"

"Yeah, boss."

"And you know the number if you need me?"

"Yeah, boss."

"I'll be back later with Rory for lunch."

"Ok, boss."

"Just remember..."

"Boss, time!"

"Right, thanks. I'll see you later." He ran halfway to the inn, which was a mere five-minute walk on a regular day. Within three minutes he was at her front door which he promptly threw open- there was no need to knock anymore. He called out as he walked quickly through the house,

"I'm sorry, I'm late, hi!" He rushed into the kitchen to find Rory sitting, looking at a Berenstein Bears book.

"Hi, daddy." She was too engrossed in her book to look up, so he walked over to her and kissed the crown of her head.

"Hey, kiddo. Where's mommy?"

"Her room. Getting ready." He laughed,

"I rush, and of course, she's still getting ready. I should've known." He turned and went into her area of the small potting shed, shutting the door silently behind him; she didn't turn around as he snuck up behind her and snaked his arms around her. Startled, she jumped and scolded him,

"Luke! Don't do that, you scared me!"

"Oh, well maybe I should make it up to you," He said as she turned to face him; he leaned in and kissed her deeply, which she returned only too happily. When they finally pulled apart, he said, "So, I was running late and I was nervous that I was making you late. But then I realized, it's Lorelai Gilmore. She's probably running later than I am."

"Hey, no fair. I've been on time before."

"Once. For our first date."

"I wanted to make a good impression. I wanted it to seem like I'm the perfect woman. I'm a good liar."

"I knew you weren't the perfect woman. It's your imperfections that make me love you so much." Lorelai laughed,

"Cheesy!" Luke was surprised that it replaced her usual _Dirty!_ but he let it slide as he sat on the bed and watched her put the finishing touches on her makeup. She had meetings today about buying a house, getting a better job at the inn, and getting Rory into the Stars Hollow Preschool.

"You look nice today. Very... weather-appropriate." She shot him the look that he knew meant _Shut up or I'll stay weather appropriate._

"I always dress weather-appropriate. Except when I dress for you. So, shush, or I'll be in turtlenecks around you for a very long time."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry because you insulted me or sorry because you're never going to see any part of my body ever again?"

"Sorry because I love you and I got myself into this mess." Surprising him, she turned around and pounced on him, and they began to kiss hungrily. They jumped apart when they heard the door open and turned to find Rory standing in the doorway, her hand on the doorknob and her foot tapping impatiently.

"Hey... Rory..." Luke didn't know what to say- what do you say when you've been caught in the act by a two-year-old?

"Hey, babe. What's the matter? Do you need something?" Lorelai sure seemed to know what to say.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

"I think you're telling the wrong person." Rory smiled angelically and walked around her mother, stopping in front of Luke.

"Daddy, I'm hungry," She announced, climbing up onto his lap. Picking her up, he walked towards the door,

"Let's give Mommy some time to finish getting ready. What do you want to eat?"

"Ice cream."

"Pick again."

"Pancakes?"

"Much better." He took Rory into the kitchen and cooked her breakfast and ten minutes later, Lorelai appeared by the refrigerator.

"OK. I'm going. I'm going to be everywhere today, so I'll call you to check in. You both know where everything is. Rory doesn't have to nap, but can if she wants to. Make sure you behave," She warned, looking at her travel cup of coffee and filling it quickly.

"She always does," defended Luke.

"I was talking to you," She eyed Luke and he smiled, leaning down to Rory,

"Your mother is cruel," he paused, "You know you don't need to tell me this. I'm her father. I know what to do."

"I know... I just don't leave her with people so often." She was suddenly serious, looking at Rory with glassy eyes. Noticing her reaction, Luke pulled her into his arms,

"She'll be fine." Understanding that he meant in the larger sense- in life- she nodded and kissed him.

"Ok, I love you both. Bye, honey," She kissed him again, "Bye, sweets. I love you."

"Bye, mommy," She gave her mother a kiss and added, "Mommy, daddy and I are gonna have fun today. Don't be scared. Just be home before bedtime."

"I promise. Bye." She turned and left, and once he heard her footsteps fade, he turned to Rory,

"So, what to do today?" Luke let Rory pick out her own outfit and get herself dressed, approving when she finally decided on gray sweatpants with the word "princess" written on the leg in pink and a pink and gray t-shirt that she had to match, and he pulled her hair into pigtails. They soon departed from the inn and ran errands throughout the day, going to the diner, the bank, food shopping, and finally to the bookstore. By the time they got back, it was 5 o'clock and time to start dinner; Luke brought Rory into her bedroom to play for a bit, stopped at Rory's pajama drawer, placing something in there, and went to the kitchen to start cooking. Forty-five minutes later, Luke heard the door open and close and heard Lorelai's voice echo through the house,

"Hello? Anybody here?"

"I'm in the kitchen!" She turned the corner and strode towards him, a huge smile on her face as she stood on tip-toes and kissed him on the lips.

"Good day?" He asked knowingly, turning back to the food he was preparing.

"Very productive," She answered, "I will elaborate at dinner. But first, where's Rory?"

"In her room, playing."

"Ok, I'm going to go say hi to her," She turned on her heel and wandered to Rory's room, "Sunshine of my life, you in here?"

"Mommy!" Rory called happily before Lorelai gave her a hug, a kiss, and a quick once-over. Her mouth hitting the floor, Lorelai realized what her daughter was wearing. Rory sat cross-legged on her bed, wearing a denim skirt and a tutu over a pair of sweatpants, with a bathing suit top worn over a tank top which covered a t-shirt. Her hair was half up on one side in a pigtail that was falling out, the other half resting messily, seemingly unbrushed, on her shoulder. Unable to express herself, Lorelai stuttered for a moment, then burst out laughing,

"Daddy let you dress yourself today, didn't he?" Rory nodded, picking up a stray toy wand sitting next to her,

"Look, mommy! I'm a princess!"

"Yes, you are!" Lorelai said between giggles, "Go back to playing. I'm gonna go talk to daddy," She kissed Rory's forehead and led herself to the kitchen, "You let her dress herself?"

"Yes, I did," He proudly stated, "She's asserting her individuality."

"So, did you two stay in all day?"

"Nope. We went to the diner, and into the inn, and to the grocery store."

"You took her out of the house? Like that?"

"What's wrong with her outfit, Mr. Blackwell?"

"Let me point it all out for you." She took his hand and guided him to Rory's partially-opened door; his eyes filled with surprise and his jaw followed a similar path to the one hers had followed earlier,

"She was NOT wearing that before." Lorelai burst into another fit of giggles and answered,

"You know what, I'll bet when she got home, she decided to play dress-up."

"Ohhh... you're probably right." They turned around, laughing, and Luke went to finish cooking while Lorelai got changed. Soon, they all sat and ate, Lorelai now wearing sweats and a tank-top, and had a pleasant dinner of chicken, rice, and broccoli. Lorelai, however, noticed something different.

As time wore on, Luke seemed to get more and more nervous. His eyes repeatedly shot to Rory's room and he consistently refused to make eye contact with Lorelai.

"Honey, are you ok?" Lorelai asked, concerned.

"What? Oh... yeah... yeah, I'm fine. Rory, eat your broccoli." Knowing that he was changing the subject, Lorelai watched as he gave Rory a warning look when she stuck her tongue out at him. She decided to let it drop for the moment, but watched as he continued to pick at his dinner and tap his foot nervously. _What on earth could he be worried about?_

After dinner, it was time for Rory's bath, and she only too happily played with her rubber duck while Lorelai poured water over her head to wash out the shampoo. She splashed happily in the water until it was time to get out, which was only achieved once Luke and Lorelai let out all the water, making it too cold for her to sit and stay in the tub. She got out and was sent to get pajamas from her bedroom, the ones with the puppies on them that she had told Luke she wanted to wear that night. Luke and Lorelai sat on the couch, flipping through the channels, before Rory entered the room.

"Mommy, daddy, I found this on top of my pajamas," she announced as she plopped down next to her parents. Confused, Lorelai picked up the small box that sat on top of the neatly folded pajama top. She opened the small black box engraved with the name Lorelai on it, the one that Lorelai recognized as Luke's most recent Christmas gift to her. Upon opening it, she found a small ring box, which she hesitated before opening. _He wouldn't. Would he? No way... That's not what this is._ Inside the ring box, she found the most exquisite ring she'd ever seen. A single gold band with a diamond in the middle and a diamond cluster on either side, it took her breath away as she turned to Luke, who was no longer where she'd left him.

She found him on one knee in front of her, resting comfortably between the couch and the coffee table.

"Lorelai, I love you. I love you more than anything in this world. You and Rory are my family, and I could never lose you. I want you to be a part of my life officially. We make a great team and I want you to be my partner in everything- in life, in work, through the good times and bad. I love you. Will you be my wife?"

"Uh... Uhh... Yes!" She finally managed to blurt out, her words overcoming the emotion crawling up her throat, tears spilling over onto her cheeks. Luke slid the ring onto her left ring finger and wiped at his eyes before standing up and pulling Lorelai into his arms, engrossing her in a passionate kiss. Rory cleared her throat,

"Mommy, daddy, are you ok?" They pulled apart, both getting on their knees to talk to the little girl.

"Yeah, baby," Lorelai answered, kissing Rory's cheek.

"Then why are you crying?"

"Happy tears, kiddo. Happy tears," Luke rubbed Lorelai's back, not attempting to stop himself from beaming.

"Mommy, did daddy give you a new present?"

"Yeah, sweetheart. Isn't it pretty?" She showed Rory the ring and Rory ran her finger over the diamond.

"When I grow up, I want one just like it." Luke and Lorelai laughed as Lorelai answered her,

"That's not for a little while, baby-doll." Luke began to fidget for something in his pocket,

"Well, Rory, I thought that maybe you should get a little present today, too," he pulled out a miniature gold chain, a golden heart dangling from its center, "This," he explained, hooking the clasp around her neck, "is a symbol of how much mommy and daddy love you. Look, if you open it, there's a picture of mommy, daddy, and you." She pulled gently at the necklace and stared at the upside-down picture. Suddenly, she let go of the charm and threw out her arms, hugging Luke,

"Thank you, daddy! I love it. It's so pretty!"

"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart." They hugged for about five seconds before Luke pulled Lorelai into his arms, and the three of them spent a little while like that, each occasionally murmuring how much they loved the others. Soon, however, Lorelai broke the embrace.

"Alright, now, as much as I love this bonding thing we have going on, it's time for our favorite little girl to go to sleep." She helped Rory, who was still wrapped in a towel, put on her pajamas and she and Luke tucked her into bed while she fingered her necklace thoughtfully.

The next morning, Lorelai woke up and rubbed at her eyes; the events of last night slowly came back to her as she rolled over and kissed Luke's bare shoulder. She smiled to herself, overjoyed that he was her present and her future- her life was finally perfect. She was finally truly happy.  
-  
Kirsten sat, overwhelmed, on the steps inside her new house in Newport. Sandy had taken the boys food-shopping and she was all alone inside this cavernous mansion, wondering how she could turn this into a home. She tried to focus on the positives- She and Sandy would no longer be suffocated by Seth and Ryan's toys. There was room for the boys to play outside. The boys could have their own bedrooms once they were older and ready for it. But nothing overtook the emotion she felt when she realized why she was living there in the first place.

She reminisced about the day not a month earlier, when Sandy had come home to find the boys seated in front of a movie, munching on Oreos, and Kirsten collapsed in her darkened bedroom, the baby monitor for the den laying next to her. Concerned, Sandy rubbed her back while she collapsed into his arms.

"Honey, what's the matter? What happened? I got your message to come home and I just left. Are you ok? Are the boys ok?"

"I'm... fine. The boys... are fine." She managed to sniffle out.

"So, then what is it?"

"My... mother..."

"What about your mother?"

"My... mother... has..."

"What, what does she have? Is she alright?" Kirsten shook her head vehemently. Sandy was concerned; his wife never let anything get in the way of her spending time with Seth and Ryan.

"No, Sandy. She... not alright... My mother... has... ovarian cancer." Speaking the words took its toll on her, and she suddenly broke down again, sobbing heavily into Sandy's chest.

"Oh, honey... Sweetheart... I don't know what to say..." They sat together for five minutes before either of them spoke again.

"Honey... I know... this is asking a lot... of you..."

"Anything, sweetheart."

"But you're... invaluable... at your job... and maybe... they can arrange something..."

"What, sweetheart? What do you need?"

"I need to move... to be near my mother... to California." She was taken aback by Sandy's quick reaction,

"Of course." The next day, Kirsten regained her composure and called her father, asking him if he had an available house for her, Sandy, Seth, and Ryan. He quickly found one and arranged for them to be flown out later that month. They hastily packed their things, pausing only for food, work, and to reminisce. It was difficult for Kirsten to leave this apartment- Sandy had carried her over this threshold. It was through this front door that a very pregnant Kirsten had stumbled out, expecting to bring home one baby and being unexpectedly blessed with two. It was in this apartment that Seth and Ryan had taken their first steps, spoken their first words, smiled their first smiles. She herself smiled sadly on the last day, when she'd followed her husband and the boys out the door and paused, her eyes resting on the wall she'd seen every day when she came home. She would miss this place.

She never wanted to relive the plane ride to California. The amount of luggage they'd brought was vast, and they required someone to help them push it all. Seth and Ryan, newly explorative, touched everything in sight, and attempted to run from their parents, wanting desperately to play. Once they'd reached the airplane, they buckled in the boys, who fought against the seatbelts, each using the other as their muse. When Ryan got tired of fidgeting, Seth took the reins, and his brother happily helped when he became bored of fighting.

"Mommy, I don't wanna go on the plane!" Ryan called.

"I wanna go home!" Seth added.

"I'm hungry!"

"I wanna watch tv!"

"I want my blankie!"

"I want my Elmo!"

"I want what Seth's playing with!"

"I want what Ryan's playing with!" Eventually, Sandy and Kirsten gave in, allowing the boys each a lollipop in exchange for quieting down. The rest of the flight remained difficult, as Seth slept while Ryan whined, and Ryan napped while Seth complained. Kirsten attempted to calm the boys, but the movie was inappropriate, they'd left certain toys that the boys wanted in boxes being sent to the new house, and she, herself, was tired and worn from her recent coming-to-terms with her mother's illness. Eventually, both boys passed out ("I guess all that whining wore them out... they're gearing up for later," Sandy had commented), giving Sandy and Kirsten quiet time to think.

Sandy thought about his life and what it had come to. He was happily married to a woman he cared more about than anything else (sans his children) in the world. He had two beautiful children, who brought new joy to his world every day. He loved to laugh with the boys, to play with the boys, to see the boys' eyes light up when he returned home after work. Seth and Ryan filled his life with new joy, and he had Kirsten to thank for that. This was part of why his mother-in-law's illness affected him so much. He hated to see this woman, who had given him so much, agonize. He hated to see her in any pain, but to see her feeling so devastated really tore at his heart. And to know that he couldn't do anything about it, that really made him feel helpless, useless, and like he didn't deserve his wife.

Kirsten thought mostly about the situation with her mother, and what it did to her family's lives. She had never felt a truly strong connection with her father, and it struck her that she was glad she and Sandy had spent so much time bonding with the boys, for either she or Sandy could be gone at any moment. She tried to envision what it may be like- her boys could grow up without a grandmother. She wouldn't be there at their birthday parties, at their graduations, at their weddings. It made tears stream down her cheeks, and she was thankful that Sandy allowed her to be with her thoughts. She was amazed that he always knew when to help her and when to leave her be.

They both wondered what the boys thought about. They wondered if they knew why their mother seemed sad lately. They both knew that mommy was sad, and mommy needed hugs. They were protective, Seth telling people in the park who were rude to leave his mommy alone, and Ryan constantly hugging and kissing her for no apparent reason. But what could they be thinking about? Did they think about toys? Did they think about the future? Did they think about their family? They only hoped that they were thinking good things as the plane touched down in California. At the airport, the family was greeted by Hailey, Caleb, and Alice, whose arms Kirsten allowed herself to melt into, the first person she saw.

"Mom," She sobbed.

"Shh, sweetheart. It's alright. It's going to be alright. Shh." Sandy held a sleeping Seth and Ryan and spoke curtly to Caleb,

"So, how is she?"

"I won't lie, Sanford- it doesn't look good." Hailey had wandered away to join her sister and mother. Even Caleb showed a bit of emotion, affectionately watching his daughters and wife pour out their emotions to each other.

"How's the therapy going?"

"She's beginning to lose her hair. The chemo's taking its toll. But..." He paused and allowed himself to say the words that he didn't want to be true, "Even if we lose her, the treatment will keep her around a bit longer. Maybe I could get to know her a little better." His eyes seemed tired, worn, and full of worry. Sandy had to feel bad for him as he attempted to lighten the subject matter,

"Look at them. Look how big they've gotten since you last saw them." A sad smile spread over Caleb's face.

"Sandy," Sandy was taken aback that he'd used his nickname. Caleb was usually so formal towards him, "thank you."

"For?" He was genuinely confused.

"For taking care of Kirsten. I know we've never had the best relationship, but you make her happy. And you take care of my grandsons. And you love all three of them. That's the most I could ask from you." Sandy smiled shyly,

"It's not difficult to love them. Let Kirsten know you do." And with that, they set out to the new house, the women, attempting to divert their attention, fawning over the now-awake boys.

Kirsten slowly got up from the stairs and made her way up to her newly-furnished bedroom, falling onto the bed and falling asleep instantly. That afternoon, Kirsten had a dream that woke her, shaking, from her sleep.

She was inside of the new house, only it wasn't the house that she was in that moment. It was bigger, and it was painted wild colors. There were oversized toys- stuffed animals, balls, toy keys, everywhere. She quickly realized that these were all toys that her mother had bought the boys for various Christmases, birthdays, and just because. As she wandered through, she found a crying Seth heaped on the floor of the hallway.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Seth whimpered loudly, "Mommy's here, sweetheart. Mommy's here. You're ok. Don't worry," She lifted him and rubbed his back, dancing with him as she always did when he was upset, "Shh. Come, let's go find daddy," She set off to find Sandy. She maneuvered her way through the twists and turns, confused, until she finally found Sandy doing the same thing with Ryan as she was with Seth, "Sandy, what's the matter with Ryan?"

"I don't know. I just found him crying. What's the matter with Seth?"

"I just found him crying, too." They each looked at each other, wordlessly, confused, before they heard a door slam. Hearing the crash of boots coming nearer to them, but concerned about their sons, Sandy and Kirsten did not move. Instead, they stared helplessly, clinging to the boys, watching the empty door. Soon, it was full; dozens of muscular men entered the room- nameless, faceless men who Kirsten did not recognize. For that matter, she could not see any of their faces- they were all covered with masks and shields.

Suddenly, the men moved towards the couple and pulled Seth and Ryan out of their arms. Kirsten and Sandy attempted to retrieve their sons, pushing and fighting the men, but Kirsten was ignored and Sandy was pulled after the boys, leaving Kirsten alone, sobbing, in the unfamiliar room.

As she woke up and grabbed her picture of herself, Sandy, and the boys, knowing that while it would be a long road ahead, she would always have her family. And that was all she needed for comfort.


	5. Age Three

_A/N- Clarifying more of the questions! Yeah, I am going to make Luke and Lorelai have kids, but not for a while. I want to establish a relationship with them and Rory, so she'll probably be in her late teens by the time she gets a sibling (though I already have Luke and Lorelai's offspring planned out- names and all). Also, Emily and Richard are coming back very soon... like, scroll down, LOL. _

_A/N 2- Must I remind you all that I adore the reviews? Keep reviewing, cuz I already know what to write in my next chapter, so it makes me get it into type faster!_

_Disclaimer- Don't own them. Don't want to. Just want to write for me and the other people who love these shows :-D_

Age Three

Kirsten worked busily in the house, trying to forget her worries. Her mother was getting worse, but according to the doctor, if she hadn't had chemo, they would've lost her already. Knowing that if her mother hadn't had the therapy, she would never get to know the boys, Kirsten put on a brave face and accompanied her mother to the doctor, spending as much time with her as she could.

When she wasn't with her mother, however, she was thinking about her mother, so she spent her days busying herself around the house. It was always spotless, and other parents of two-year-olds marveled at the meticulousness of the boys' room, asking who their housekeeper was; Kirsten always blushed when she revealed that she was the one who kept the house so clean.

The times when she was truly happy, and even mildly distracted, was when she was with the boys. Most parents in Newport sent their children to preschool when they were three, but Kirsten felt no need. She was home anyway. Sandy made enough money to support their family. She wanted to bond with the boys and she saw no need for them to bond with strangers at such a young age. She didn't want the relationship with them that little Marissa Cooper had with her mother. Marissa adored Jimmy, her father and the Cohens' neighbor, but was aloof from her mother, wandering away without a goodbye when she was left at the Cohens when Julie needed to go out on the weekend.

Seth and Ryan were growing so fast, and Kirsten was amazed at what they could do now that they were three. They were eager to help around the house, and Kirsten decided that giving them some small jobs and chores would be fun for them, and a good learning experience as well. She allowed them to make their beds in the morning, helped set the table at night, and put the dishes into the sink after dinner. As they were still young for an allowance, Kirsten and Sandy chose to praise them often in addition to adding stickers to a newly-made sticker chart; once they reached thirty stickers for helping around the house, they earned a prize of their choice. They also found that it worked well if the boys chose to misbehave; a threat to lose a sticker was all they needed to listen and become angels again.

Eventually, however (the boys were well-behaved, so threats of losing stickers were few and far-between), Seth and Ryan reached thirty stickers each (Seth reached thirty one morning, while Ryan did that afternoon (there was an incident regarding bath-time in which Ryan chose it was better to hide in the closet than take a bath)) and each chose a prize. Seth decided that he wanted a day at the movies with his father, and Ryan chose a day at the park with his mother. The choice of parent was not theirs- Sandy and Kirsten had decided that they would alternate handling prizes for the boys- it only seemed fair.

However, with this newly-allowed responsibility, the boys craved individuality and freedom. They began complaining when their parents dressed them in similar outfits, as they had done their entire life. While they never wore the exact same outfit, it was generally similar, and the boys suddenly realized the fact. They were soon allowed to pick out their own outfits every day (with Sandy or Kirsten's approval), which quenched their desire to be "grown-ups" slightly, but not overwhelmingly. What the boys really wanted, was to be adults, and to be allowed freedom to do as they chose. Their desire to be adults led to one particularly dangerous incident in the mall.

Kirsten and Sandy had taken the boys shopping, again, for new dress clothes. They were constantly growing out of the ones that Kirsten and Sandy had bought for them, and now that they lived in Newport, they had a charity benefit to attend every other weekend. Bringing the boys with them seemed like a good idea, as they themselves didn't want to be there, it was cheaper than finding a sitter (not to mention the fact that most were already taken by the other Newpsies), and it gave them an excuse to go home early, when the boys became tired. They spent the afternoon in Macy's, giving the boys suit after suit to try on in exchange for the promise of a treat afterwards. While they could get the boys to try the suits on, getting them to stop complaining was another story entirely.

"Daddy, I'm hot!" Ryan whined.

"Mommy, my suit is itchy!" Seth complained.

"I'm hungry!" Ryan added, his eyes pleading with his mother.

"Me too!" Seth added, tugging at the too-big suit jacket that he was wearing.

"I like Seth's suit better!" Ryan pointed at his brother, his lower lip pouting in the hopes of winning his parents' sympathy.

"I like Ryan's suit better!" Seth began to rub at his eyes. As Sandy and Kirsten finally paid for the suits (noting how the boys had perfected the "whining method" they'd created on the day after their second birthday), they made a mental note to make the boys take naps before they went shopping from now on. Suddenly, Sandy grabbed Seth's hand and Kirsten grabbed Ryan's, instructing the boys to hold each others' hand and forming a chain of Cohens. They took the boys to Baskin Robbins, where the boys refused to allow their parents to order for them. After much deliberation, Ryan, who was resting on his father's hip, declared,

"I want chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles... on a cone!" He decided to push his luck, but the attempt didn't escape Sandy, as he quickly retaliated,

"Ryan, no cones. You know the rule. They're way too messy."

"I could give you a cone on top of the ice cream in the cup if you'd like," The teenage boy behind the counter offered.

"Yeah!" Ryan smiled.

"If it's not too much trouble," Sandy shot an appreciative smile at the boy as he turned away to get Ryan's ice cream. Seth, who was perched on his mother's hip, ordered next,

"I want chocolate with chocolate chips... and a cone like Ryan's!" The young boy behind the counter quickly obliged, and soon the family was sitting around, eating their ice cream together in the food court. While the boys craved to be treated like adults, their behavior was that of three-year-olds, as could be expected, including when Seth threw a chocolate chip at Ryan, and Ryan ran an ice-cream covered finger down Seth's neck. The boys giggled and screamed, reveling in the mess that they'd created until their parents threatened to take away stickers. Suddenly, the boys began behaving, prompting an approving "I knew you could be big boys" from their parents.

Proudly, they wiped themselves down and followed Sandy and Kirsten out of the food court and towards the western side of the mall. Their good behavior was short-lived, however, when they spotted a candy store.

"Look, mommy, a candy store!" called an awed Ryan.

"Mommy, daddy, can we go?" added Seth, joining in his brother's plight for more sugar.

"No, boys. You've already had ice cream."

"But we want candy!"

"Ryan, what did I just say?"

"I'm still hungry!"

"Then you'll eat when we get home, Seth."

"But we don't wanna eat when we get home! We wanna eat now and we wanna eat candy!" Seth stamped his foot angrily, screwing his face into a contorted, angry frown, and crossed his arms, planting himself firmly in the middle of the floor.

"Seth Ezekiel!"

"No!"

"What are you saying no to? I haven't said anything that you could say no to yet!"

"No!" He repeated, beginning to cry. His parents could sense a tantrum coming on, and Kirsten stepped forward to deal with it firmly.

"Seth, I do not like this behavior, especially not when we're in such a public place. Stop it right now or you're not playing with any of your toys when we get home."

"No!" This seemed to be the only thing he wanted to say, and Ryan could tell that his brother wasn't making any headway with his parents, so he chose a different course of action. Quickly, silently, her turned on his heel and ran towards the candy store.

"Ryan Nicholas Cohen! Get back here right now!" He heard his father's angry, forceful voice call from behind him, but he was a man on a mission, and nothing would keep him from his candy. He could sense it getting closer as he weaved in and out of the people making their way through the mall. He was about to enter the candy store when suddenly he felt a pair of arms come underneath him and swoop him up. Afraid to look, he stealthily glanced up at the face behind the arms holding him and began to weep silently, much as Seth had done. His father had come to catch him.

Sandy and Kirsten dragged the crying boys to a deserted corner of the mall and sat them down on the floor.

"Ryan and Seth, if you two can't behave, then we can't take you out anymore."

"Fine!" Ryan shot back. Seth rolled his eyes- Ryan needed to give up, and fast.

"Fine! Fine!" Kirsten repeated, "Fine, Ryan. Then that means no more trips to the toy store, no more ice cream, no more going to Discovery Zone and playing there for the afternoon. Instead, daddy and I will go out and have a good time and you and Seth can go spend every day at Marissa's house. And that means staying with Marissa's mommy!" Ryan suddenly calmed and leaned his back against the wall. Sandy took the reins,

"Boys, we know that you can be big boys when you want to be. And you need to be big boys when we leave the house. Can you be big boys?" Both Seth and Ryan nodded and quietly, almost inaudibly, Seth asked,

"Can we go home now?"

"No, Seth, we can't, because Mommy and I still need to go to some other stores. So you and your brother can stand up right now and act like big boys. We'll finish this talk when we get home. Can we trust you to act like big boys for the rest of the day?" The boys both, again, nodded silently, and Sandy finished, "Good. Then let's go. Seth and Ryan, hold hands." He and Kirsten turned and began their way back into the mall, leaving a silent Seth and Ryan marching behind them.

Soon, however, the boys' three-year-old minds took over, and both forgot having been scolded earlier. They laughed and joked as they followed Sandy and Kirsten through the mall and into a third store. Suddenly, Ryan stopped Seth in his tracks; both were staring at the candy store that had caused so much trouble earlier.

"Seth, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Seth paused and considered, then answered,

"That Mommy wouldn't like it if she knew that we play video games every night before bed?" Ryan shook his head.

"No! Look over there!"

"I know, I see it!"

"Let's go," Ryan whispered. Seth seemed shocked,

"Ryan, you heard mommy and daddy!"

"Yeah, they said we should act like big boys. And big boys are allowed to go to the candy store all by themselves! Like those big boys!" Ryan pointed at a group of teenage boys roughhousing near the music store, "See, they don't have their mommies and daddies with them!"

"I guess you're right..."

"So let's go!" Seth seemed suddenly excited by the idea and he and Ryan set off in the direction of the candy store.

Inside the bookstore that the Cohens had entered, Kirsten allowed herself to go back to the children's section, relaxed since she could hear the boys' footsteps behind her. She knelt by the Berenstain Bears books and began speaking,

"Boys, which of these do you have? Do you have The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday? I know you have Too Much Junk Food, but I can't remember which of the other ones you have," no response, "Boys?" She turned around to find a little boy and girl standing next to her, looking at the same books she was. Slightly panicked, she asked them, "Have you two been behind me the whole time?" The children nodded and Kirsten stood up quickly, scanning the aisles for any signs of her sons. She returned to the childrens' eye level and asked, "Were there any little boys near you? One with brown hair and one with yellow hair?" The children shook their heads no. Standing again, she called out their names, and when no one answered, she frantically ran to find Sandy. She found him perusing a Law book and quickly told him, "The boys! They're missing!" He immediately became concerned,

"What do you mean, they're missing?"

"They were behind us before and I thought they were still behind us but it turns out it wasn't them and they're not in here and I don't know where they went!" She looked around, panicked, and Sandy began to call,

"Seth! Ryan! SETH? RYAN? SETH AND RYAN COHEN!" No answer. Sandy grabbed Kirsten's hand and ran to the entrance of the bookstore, scanning the crowds of people for a blonde and brunette head bobbing around. To their dismay, they could see nothing over the people's heads, especially as the boys were still so small. Sandy attempted to gather his thoughts and calm his frenetic wife,

"OK, well let's look. Where would they go first?" They looked around the mall at the stores, and suddenly, Kirsten called,

"Sandy! The candy store!" She and Sandy quickly grabbed each other's hands and ran to the candy store, both finally breathing when they saw the boys standing in the corner of the store, looking at an M&M display.

"My babies!" Kirsten breathed, running over to embrace them tightly.

"Hi, mommy," Ryan said nervously.

"Hi, daddy," Seth said, equally perturbed. Both boys looked at one another with a fearful glance- they'd been caught. Kirsten pulled back and kissed both boys' foreheads. Though they had only been gone for thirty seconds to a minute at most, an overwhelming fear had come over her. She was thrown back to the now-reoccurring dream that plagued her sleep nightly. It always consisted of the boys being taken from her, and once or twice the dream had taken place in a mall similar to this one. She pulled back and wiped tears from her eyes.

"Mommy, what's the matter?" Seth asked.

"Mommy was scared when she couldn't find you guys," Kirsten answered, going in to hug and kiss them each again.

"We didn't mean to scare you, mommy," Ryan stared at his shoes.

"Yeah, we're sorry," Seth seemed similarly interested in his footwear.

"Oh, boys, you don't know the meaning of the word "sorry" yet," Sandy interjected after he, too, hugged the boys, finally able to breathe, knowing they were alright. Ryan and Seth looked at Sandy apologetically, then quickly looked back at the floor, bracing themselves for the lecture they were about to receive.

"Boys, how could you do this? Why did you do this?" His voice was full of frustration and fear, but he kept it at a calm, reprimanding tone. He never lost his temper with Seth and Ryan, and he made it a point to never yell.

"We just wanted to be big boys..." Ryan's voice trailed off.

"You just wanted to be big boys? Well, big boys don't wander off without telling their mommies and daddies."

"We just saw those big boys," Seth attempted to defend himself in a small voice, pointing to the group of teenagers still loitering in the same spot, "And we thought that if they were big boys and so were we, then we could go by ourselves, cuz they were by themselves."

"Seth, that is no excuse. You tell your mother and me whenever you want to go anywhere. If you go by yourselves, you could get hurt or stolen," Kirsten shuddered at the thought, "and we could never, ever lose you. Ever." The boys nodded and Sandy saw Ryan rub at his eye, wiping away a tear. He continued, "When we get home, you both go straight up to your room. No toys, no playing, no TV. Straight upstairs. Got it?" Both boys nodded, and Seth suddenly shook- he was sobbing silently. Suddenly, he reached forward for his father,

"I'm sorry, daddy." He wrapped his arms tightly around him and Sandy hugged back, letting go to allow Seth to go to his mother and to embrace an also-crying Ryan. He picked up his son and turned to face his other, now being held by his mother, and kissed them each on the forehead.

"You know that mommy and I love you, right? And we'd do anything to make sure you guys never got hurt." Seth and Ryan nodded, and both quickly responded,

"We love you, too."

Kirsten held Seth close to her and continually kissed Ryan's forehead for the next thirty seconds, and recalled what could've been. As she watched another young mother pull her son by the wrist and force him out of the store, she couldn't help but remember that Ryan, the son that she loved so much, could've lived in that type of family. From what she could gather from the doctor at the hospital three years earlier, Ryan's birth mother had been an alcoholic prior to finding out she was pregnant; she beat her children and was herself repeatedly abused, and couldn't hold down a job. Kirsten shuddered, reminding herself that no one could touch her boys, as she left the mall and heard the blonde woman behind her screech,

"Let's go, you little piece of crap. Trey, I said let's go!"

And with that, Kirsten took Ryan from Sandy, the two of them and Seth crying silently as they held each other, all remembering that nothing could harm them.

Lorelai woke up to the sound of the alarm and rolled over to find no Luke, but only a note lying on the pillow. She hadn't been expecting her fianceé to be lying next to her, but she had been expecting the note. She read it to herself, smiling from the start,

Lorelai,

There's breakfast for you and Rory in the fridge. If you don't want it, then come down and see me, maybe I can make you two something fresh to eat.

I'm downstairs. Get dressed and come down if you need me for anything.

I love you. Like, a lot. Like, so much. Like, more than you'll ever know.

Love,

Luke

She smiled at their little habits and inside jokes. Nearly every morning since she'd moved into his apartment the month before, he'd gotten up early to open the diner, and every morning that he'd left the bed, he'd written her a note for her to wake up to. She laughed when she read the part where he'd written "I love you. Like, a lot. Like, so much. Like, more than you'll ever know", remembering what had prompted it to be said the first time.

She and Luke had been lying in bed together a week after she'd moved in. Rory was asleep in the Liz's converted playroom that was now Rory's bedroom. They were watching TV, which Luke had brought into the bedroom upon Lorelai's insistence, and Lorelai suddenly muted the sound.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?" She paused for a moment, then blurted out the words that she wanted to say,

"How much do you love me?" She felt like a two-year-old asking these questions, but he quickly retaliated with his own question,

"What do you want me to do now?"

"No... no, nothing. It's just... I've had people tell me that they love me before, but then they abandon me and it makes me nervous sometimes..." He sighed and kissed her forehead,

"You want to know how much I love you?"

"Yeah, like, what amount?" He smiled at her playful innocence,

"Like, a lot." She frowned slightly.

"Well, how much is a lot?"

"Like, so much." Again the frown appeared.

"Meaning?"

"Like, more than you'll ever know. I love you more than anything." She finally smiled, the smile that Luke waited to see every day, and leaned over, kissing him fully on the mouth. When they separated, she answered,

"I love you that much, too."

She stood up and checked on Rory, allowing her to sit and watch TV while she took a shower. She soon finished and dressed in her favorite sweater- a black off-the shoulder one, and a pair of jeans. She smiled, glad that it was her day off from the inn, and planned her day.

She was going to take Rory shopping for a new summer dress, go food shopping, and meet Luke at the park to let Rory play. Then came the part of the day that she dreaded. She had plans to head over to her parents for a bit; Luke had persuaded her to tell them about the wedding.

With both she and Rory fully dressed, Lorelai led the three-year-old downstairs and out in front of the counter. Luke was nowhere to be seen as Lorelai ushered her daughter to the storeroom to find her fianceé. Rory returned soon after, pulling Luke by the index finger, his eyes rolled to the top of his head.

"Hi, honey."

"You know that I was doing something?" He asked, faking annoyance.

"Yes, I do."

"And you know that in order for me to go with you tonight, I need to get everything done and in order here so I can let Caesar close up."

"Yes, I do."

"So, you sent Rory back there to get me because?"

"Because I also know that she has you wrapped around her little finger."

"So do you."

"I know, but I thought I'd let her have a turn." He sighed.

"Good morning." He kissed her lightly on the lips as she answered,

"Good morning." Rory, growing tired with the adult banter, interjected,

"Daddy, I'm hungry."

"Good morning to you, too." He kissed her forehead.

"Good morning. But I'm still hungry."

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"Umm... pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, strawberries... and coffee." She quickly added afterwards, hoping maybe he'd get it for her without the words registering in his mind.

"Pick one breakfast food. And no coffee."

"Why not?" She pouted at him and he was instantly reminded of her mother.

"Because you're too young for coffee. And because I don't want you to grow up and be unhealthy."

"But mommy drinks it."

"She shouldn't drink it either, but Mommy's a grown-up. She's old enough to make her own decisions." Rory resigned herself to her fate, exasperatedly exhaling,

"Fiiine... Then I just want Chocolate Chip pancakes." He turned around and returned with a mug and a cup, one filled with coffee for Lorelai and the other with orange juice for Rory.

"Thank you," Both girls said, each beginning to sip their respective beverage.

"Honey, we should get going around 4:30ish today," Luke grunted in acknowledgement, "I put out an outfit for you. Nothing special. Just nothing that has a grease stain on it."

"Shouldn't I wear a suit or that sweater you bought for me last week? I mean, to impress your parents?" Lorelai shook her head defiantly,

"Definitely not. If they can't accept the man I love for who he is, then forget them." He unveiled the smile that was reserved for Lorelai- no one else was able to evoke it in him and he leaned over to kiss her again. Luke gave Rory her pancakes and within twenty minutes, Lorelai and Rory stood to leave.

"Luke?" Lorelai called from the counter, "We're going!" Luke reemerged from the back, wiping his hands with a towel.

"Have fun," He told them, kissing Lorelai one last time and kissing Rory's hair.

"Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

Later that day, Luke and Lorelai's truck pulled up in front of the Gilmore mansion.

"Now, remember, I'm going to tell them separately," Lorelai told Luke as they stepped out of the car, "If it goes badly, we give Rory the signal, she coughs and maybe sneezes, and we go home. Whatever happens, remember that I love you and so does Rory." She opened the back door of the car and Luke rolled his eyes at her,

"You're very dramatic."

"I'm very realistic." He sighed.

"Alright, kiss me, because if you're not exaggerating, it may be the last time." Leaning over to kiss him quickly, she picked up Rory, who had fallen asleep on the car ride over.

"See, she gets the idea," Lorelai added as Luke locked the car.

They stood at the door, neither moving, both only breathing heavily.

"I love you," Lorelai repeated as Luke grunted,

"Will you knock already?" Lorelai inhaled deeply and knocked rapidly on the intimidating door. Soon, Lorelai and Luke heard a shrill voice emanating from inside.

"Richard, are you expecting someone?... No, I'm not!... Fine, I'll just get it..." The door flew open and Emily's eyes widened, "Lorelai!" She gasped as she stood, clinging to the door for support, "What... What are you doing here?"

"Hi, mom. Nice to see you, too. Why, yes, Rory has grown!"

"I'm, I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting you. Was I expecting you?"

"No, mom. We just thought we'd... pop by."

"You know, Lorelai, it's rude to just 'pop by'. But it wouldn't kill you to call once in a while. So we can know how you are. And how Rory is." The Emily Lorelai knew and loathed was back, recovered from the shock.

"Rory's fine, mom. Just heavy and asleep. Can I put her down somewhere?"

"Oh, yes. Put her in your room." Lorelai turned to Luke,

"Luke, will you take her up?"

"Sure." Emily seemed to notice the man standing behind her daughter for the first time.

"Hello," She greeted coldly.

"Hi," Luke responded awkwardly, adjusting Rory in his arms.

"Mom, this is Luke," Lorelai offered.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Please, it's Emily." Luke knew she didn't mean her friendliness.

"Luke, the room you're looking for is up the hall and to the left. First door."

"Ok." Shooting Emily a half-smile, he climbed the stairs, Rory sleeping soundly in his arms.

"So..." Emily started, deciding that straightforward bluntness was the best path to take, "You're pregnant again?" Shocked, Lorelai's eyes widened and she screamed in retaliation,

"WHAT! NO! No, I'm not! What on earth makes you say that!"

"You show up, you have the 'announcement' look on your face, you have a man with you. It only makes sense."

"I'm not pregnant, mother!"

"Then why are you here?"

"Why do I need a motive?" Emily shrugged and turned her attention away,

"Richard! Come and see who's here!" Luke descended the stair and stood behind Lorelai. This was one scary woman, and he was glad that he had Lorelai to back him up. Richard entered, engrossed in a newspaper, and looked up, surprised,

"Why, Lorelai! It's nice to see you."

"Hi, dad. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Were we expecting you?"

"No, we just thought we'd pop in."

"We?"

"Yeah, dad. Me, Rory, and Luke."

"Luke?" Luke marveled at the fact that these people saw only what they wanted to see as Richard looked up and took notice of the man standing behind his daughter, protectively clutching her hand.

"Luke Danes, sir."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you. Are you and my daughter... together?" Luke was taken aback at his bluntness, but quickly recovered.

"Going on two years, sir."

"Yeah, dad. Luke's my... Luke." She put her left hand on his stomach to calm him. It was then that Emily noticed it. Gleaming, mocking her, staring her straight in the eye. She fell deep into her own thoughts and realized that she couldn't breathe. She coughed, reminding herself that her body needed oxygen. A million questions ran through her head as she decided that she needed to talk to Lorelai privately. As soon as possible.

Bringing herself back to reality, she interjected,

"Richard," they had been engaging in polite chit-chat for five minutes already, "Why don't you go show Luke some of your books in the library?"

"Wonderful idea, Emily." Luke squeezed Lorelai's hand for luck, and she encouraged him with her eyes. The same ones that were the first thing he'd noticed about her. The same ones Rory had. The same ones that, accompanied by a hair flip, could get him to do anything. He followed her father as her mother led her into the living room, the two taking seats opposite each other.

"Mom..." Lorelai started _It's now or never,_ "I actually do have something to tell you," Emily braced herself, as did Lorelai. The similarities were striking. "Luke and I... are getting married." She waited. She waited for the screaming. For the fighting. For the anger. But it didn't come yet.

"How long have you two been dating?" False calm filled the air.

"Two years come October."

"Are you living together?"

"Yes, mom."

"And Rory lives with you?"

"No, mom. She found herself a nice one-bedroom in Soho." Emily chose to move past the sarcasm.

"What does he do?"

"Excuse me?"

"For a living. What does he do?"

"He owns a diner." Emily stood and wandered stoically to the mantle, playing with a picture of Lorelai and Rory. She didn't seem to notice the anguish on Lorelai's face in the picture. "Mom... say something."

"There's nothing for me to say, Lorelai."

"What?"

"I know you. I know you'll be bored by December. Broken up by January. Madly in love with another man by February."

"Excuse me?"

"Lorelai, you run. I know you. You may have your fun with this man now, but eventually, you'll come to your senses and realize that you belong with Christopher." Lorelai took a second to comprehend what her mother had said. Then, inhaling deeply, she shot back,

"Mom, I'm happy! Why can't you be happy for me?"

"Because you don't belong with him. He's not right for you!"

"He's not right for me? He's sweet. He loves me. He loves Rory. He takes care of us. He feeds us. He supports us. Which part of that is not right for me?"

"You belong with Christopher." Her blunt tone took Lorelai by surprise.

"I WHAT? Mother, you don't know me at all!"

"You do. You're supposed to be with the father of your child." Before Lorelai could answer, they heard Rory's anguished cries from upstairs,

"Daddy! Daddy!"

"See, even Rory agrees with me, Lorelai. She wants her father."

"Rory does not agree with you mother," She was quiet for a minute, then continued, "She probably just had a nightmare. She always calls for him when she has a nightmare."

"Well, aren't you going to go to her?"

"She doesn't want me, mom. For some reason, I can never console her after a bad dream. She doesn't calm down."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Lorelai!" Emily bound up the stairs, but slowed down upon hearing a gruff voice singing _My Girl _tenderly,

Rory's crying subsided and Emily watched through a crack in the door as she lay her head on Luke's chest. It was obvious that he had been holding her, dancing with her, comforting her. She inhaled quickly, shuddering slightly. Emily's heart skipped a beat as she heard Rory say,

"I love you, daddy." She reminded her hear to beat as he kissed her hair, responding,

"I love you, too, princess."

Emily didn't know what to do, so she merely allowed herself to slide down the wall behind the door, sitting on the floor and _listening to the conversation between Luke and her granddaughter._

She heard Luke ask Rory what had happened in the nightmare. _She listened to the conversation between a stranger and her daughter's daughter._

She heard Rory spill her heart out to Luke, trusting him with her deepest fears. _She listened to the conversation between her daughter's child and the man her daughter thought she loved. _

She heard Luke console the little girl, assuring her that everything was ok. He and her mommy were there to protect her. There was nothing to worry about. She peeked through the crack in the door.

And as she watched Rory hug Luke and tell him that she loved him again,_ she watched an interaction between father and daughter_, finally resigning to the fact that Lorelai and her granddaughter's father were together. But, of course, she'd never let them know that she understood that. She still, however, didn't consider them a family. She was raised to believe that a family was biological, though adoption did make you part of a family. She didn't believe that this man was right for her daughter, that he was good enough for her, that he was good enough to be Rory's stepfather. Or her father.

Lorelai didn't notice Emily crouched behind the open bedroom door as she appeared at the top of the stairs and passed through the doorway to her former bedroom, shuddering from the wave of memories flowing through her.

"Hi, sweets."

"Mommy!" Rory called, extending her arms to her mother. Lorelai took the little girl from her father and kissed her head, much as Luke had moments before.

"What happened, baby? Did you have a bad dream?" Rory nodded against her mother's shoulder and Luke led them to the bed, all three sitting together.

"But Rory knows," He comforted her again, "That as long as she has mommy and daddy, nothing can hurt her. Right, Ror?" She nodded again and looked up at her mother,

"Mommy, daddy sang to me again." Lorelai smiled at Luke, knowing that he'd only do it for Rory.

"That's because daddy loves you so much. And he knows you feel better when he does."

"Daddy also told you not to tell mommy, Ror," Luke added, knowing he'd be mocked tonight, even though Lorelai adored the way he was with Rory.

"Sorry, daddy."

"Well, since I love you so much, I'll let it slide. This time." He winked at Rory.

"I love you, too, daddy. And I love you, mommy." They made sure that they said it often- Lorelai had grown up in a home where it was said rarely, if ever, and she needed Rory to know that she was loved.

"I love you, too, baby." She kissed Rory's hair again and looked at Luke, whispering to him, "I love you, too."

"Ditto," he responded quietly, and they leaned in and kissed softly.

Emily pulled her head away from the crack in the door and rested it on the wall, finally resigned to the fact that they were a family- one with more love and respect within it than the one she had created.

And as Luke, Lorelai, and Rory made their way downstairs, Emily, knowing her relationship with her daughter wasn't going to change, and that she wasn't going to see her again for a long while, wiped a solitary tear from her cheek, ready to start the fight anew.


	6. Age Four

_A/N- Hey, everybody! Thank you so much for all of your great reviews... They make me blush :)... but seriously, I'm really glad you like it, so I'm forging ahead... hope you like this new chapter..._

_A/N 2- Questions are answered here- Chris will make an appearance- very soon, as a matter of fact. As will Jess... The rest of it wasn't so much questions as reading my mind... Seriously, sometimes I think I should leave the story-writing to you guys, because you either know my ideas beforehand or you give me great ones! Thanks so much!_

Age Four

She sighed as she read the date. _September 23rd. _She couldn't believe that the day had finally come for her boys to grow up. The next morning, they would be off to kindergarten, and she would start work at the Newport group with her father. _All Newport kids go to kindergarten. And they're the youngest in their class. They won't be five until next month. _She reminded herself. _If they don't go they'll be outcasts. I'm not going to lose them. I'm going to pick them up tomorrow at 3:30, everything will be fine, they'll come home, play a game, have dinner, and go to sleep safe and sound in their rooms._ She knew she was convincing herself rather than the boys as she crossed off the day on her calendar.

The next morning, she felt herself moving, bouncing on top of the bed. She blinked sleepily at the clock that shone _6:37 _maliciously. She groaned as she propped herself on her elbows, coming face-to-face with Seth and Ryan, jumping excitedly on the bed.

"Mommy, Daddy! Wake up!" Ryan's voice shook from his bouncing on the bed.

"It's time to go to school!" Seth added, jumping next to his brother. Kirsten and Sandy looked at each other, deciding it was best to get up now and get ready to go. They pulled the blankets off of themselves, and stood up, Sandy taking Ryan in his arms, and Kirsten catching Seth, who launched off the bed into her arms. They escorted the boys to their room (no matter how independent they wanted to be, they still couldn't deal with sleeping in a separate room from their brother), and allowed them to pick out their outfits. Kirsten and Sandy leaned against the dresser, Kirsten becoming teary-eyed as she watched her two babies get ready for their first day of school. Sandy, noticing her fogginess, squeezed her encouragingly and kissed her temple.

"Ok, boys. Do you have clothes picked out?"

"Yeah, daddy," Ryan answered absent-mindedly, shoving the unwanted t-shirts back into his drawer.

"Oh, Ry, don't shove the shirts in there like that! They'll get all wrinkled!" Kirsten laughed; she couldn't be mad at the boys now.

"Mommy, daddy, I picked out my outfit," Seth announced, pulling out a new Power Rangers shirt and a pair of jeans. His parents gave him the ok as Ryan pulled out his own outfit,

"Me too!" Kirsten and Sandy approved of his navy polo shirt and khaki pants and both boys proceeded to get dressed.

"Ok, I'm going to go..." Kirsten started, but Seth interrupted, anticipating what she was going to say,

"Mommy, could you let daddy cook breakfast today?"

"What?"

"Yeah, mommy. It's our first day of school. We don't want cereal," Ryan added.

"Boys, it just so happens that I was going to cook you waffles with strawberries and powdered sugar."

"Yeah, but you always try to cook us that, then you get frustrated and give up," Seth pointed out.

"And I don't want Cap'n Crunch today," Continued Ryan. Kirsten laughed in disbelief; Sandy laughed in amusement.

"I was going to say I'm going to go take a shower. But maybe now I WILL cook breakfast. Just to make sure you guys have cereal!" Both boys knew she was kidding, and they giggled in reaction, "Oh, you think it's funny, do you?" She laughed and captured them both in her arms, tickling them until their cheeks were red and tear-stained from laughter, then kissing them each on the cheek, allowing them to finish getting ready.

An hour later, stomachs were full, bodies were clothed, teeth were brushed, and the Cohen family was out the door. Kirsten and Sandy took their own cars to the kindergarten to drop off the boys, so they could each go to their respective jobs after leaving the boys at school.

Upon arriving at the school, the family congregated in the auditorium, as the letters they'd received instructed (each boy got individual letters, prompting Sandy to go on a rant about the wastefulness of modern society), and settled into a corner, huddled away from the Newpsies. They tried in vain to calm the hysterical boys from a fear that had set in in the car ride over; it seemed it became all too real for them.

"You'll make new friends!"

"I don't want to!"

"You'll play on the playground!"

"That's a dumb playground!"

"You have each other." The boys took solace in the fact that they had one another, as did Sandy and Kirsten; they knew each other better than most brothers, and the idea of being together calmed them down slightly. Suddenly, there was a tapping over the loudspeaker.

"Hello, parents and children, and welcome to the prestigious Harbor elementary school," A few people clapped, but Sandy and Kirsten were too preoccupied with the clinging Seth and Ryan to be polite and clap for unnecessary reasons. Dr. Larson, the principal, continued, "I recognize some of you from the Harbor Honeys Preschool. Hello, Summer! Hello, Luke! Hello, Marissa!" The woman paused, and, with less vigor in her voice, added, "Why, yes. Hello, Holly... Now, today is the first day for kindergarteners..." The woman continued for another five minutes, and Kirsten and Sandy fussed over the boys, showing them toys and snacks they'd placed in their bookbags, slowly getting the boys to whimper rather than sob. Suddenly, they heard Dr. Larson finish, "Now, if you'd all take your children to the lines, we will tell them their room assignments."

Sandy and Kirsten led Ryan and Seth to their line, with a folder at the end labeled "Last Names A-K". They stood directly behind Jimmy and Marissa Cooper, only able to engage in a quick conversation with him, as he was busily attempting to get Marissa to show any emotion about leaving Julie, rather than total indifference. They heard a stern-looking woman announce,

"Cooper, Marissa Ashley. Mrs. VanCamp's class. Room A-1." Watching Jimmy lead Marissa away, the Cohens collectively inhaled and stepped forward towards the stern-looking woman.

"Child's name?" She demanded.

"Cohen. Seth and Ryan." She glanced up at the boys, Ryan clinging tighter to his father. After rummaging through the files for a moment, she pulled out two folders, one which read "Cohen R", the other "Cohen S", with a room number and teacher name stamped on each.

"Cohen, Ryan Nicholas, Mrs. VanCamp, Room A-1." Kirsten bent to Seth and Ryan's eye level, reasoning with them,

"You hear that, boys, you're in Maris..." The stern-looking woman, however, promptly cut her off,

"Cohen, Seth Ezekiel, Miss King, Room A-3." Confused, Kirsten stood and turned to the woman,

"Excuse me?"

"Cohen, Seth Ezekiel, Miss King, Room A-3," The woman repeated impatiently.

"I'm sorry, I thought you said room A-1?" Kirsten questioned, peering at the folders.

"I did. One of your sons goes to room A-1. The other goes to room A-3." Kirsten was livid,

"What! You split up my boys! I need you to put Seth and Ryan in the same class. Move some other kids around. Put some kid who doesn't have a brother into a different class. I just need my boys together!"

The stern-looking woman quickly raised her hand, looking over the files sitting below her pointed nose. Seth and Ryan, who had understood the situation the minute the woman had said Seth was in room A-3, were crying hysterically, clinging to each other for all they were worth. Suddenly, a pleasant-looking woman appeared at their sides.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" The woman pulled the Cohens off to the side.

"Yes, I'm Kirsten Cohen. This is my husband, Sandy. I think there's been some mistake. Our sons aren't in the same class."

"Yes, ma'am. That's our policy at Harbor."

"Your policy?" Kirsten was incredulous, and she spun her head to glance at Sandy, who was tenderly comforting the boys.

"Yes, Mrs. Cohen. It is our policy to separate siblings from each other." Kirsten sat in stunned silence as the woman continued, "It's difficult for twins to separate, I know. They've been together since before they were born," Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other, deciding wordlessly to leave it alone as the woman rambled on, "We here at Harbor elementary feel it is best to set the children in an unfamiliar environment, make them socialize with other children. It's good preparation for the real world. Now, your boys..." She paused, waiting for Kirsten to fill in the blanks.

"Seth and Ryan."

"Seth and Ryan, who, I must tell you, are very handsome little boys, will be asked to go to their classes. If we have any problems throughout the day, we will call you or your contacts for discussion. Any questions?" Kirsten began to protest, but Sandy stood up, lifting the boys with him,

"No. Thank you very much for your time." The woman nodded politely and stalked away towards a little girl who had huddled herself under a table.

"Sandy! What are you thinking!"

"Maybe she's right. They do need to socialize with other kids. They need to learn there's other kids in the world."

"You think we should prepare them for the real world, too? They're four! Maybe they should teach them to add before they teach them to get a job, a house, and 4 kids each!"

"Honey, you know what I mean. You don't want the boys to grow up thinking they're each other's only source of friendship, do you? They're still best friends, they're still brothers; nothing changes that. It's just they'll have other friends now, if only for during the day. They come here, see these kids, go home, play together, eat dinner together, go to sleep in the same bedroom, wake up across the room from each other, have breakfast together. That's one out of a lot of things that does not involve them being together." Kirsten sighed, resigning to the idea,

"Fine." She took Seth out of Sandy's arms and the four Cohens walked to hallway between the two classrooms and put down the boys, bending down to their eye level.

"Ok, boys, you're going to go into your classes now. You excited to make new friends?" Sandy tried sounding cheerful.

"No, daddy! Don't leave us!" Seth cried, tears beginning to flow freely again.

"We'll be back later to get you, pal."

"Mommy, is it cuz we weren't listening the other day? We'll listen! We'll be good boys, we promise!" Ryan cried as fiercely as Seth had, his nose running, his eyes red.

"No, no, baby. Mommy's not mad at you!"

"Then why are you leaving us all alone?"

"I'm not, sweetheart. I'll be back later, and you can come home, and we can get Chinese food. How does that sound?"

"I don't want Chinese food, mommy! I wanna go home and spend the day with you!"

"Me too!" Kirsten began to soften and pulled the boys into a hug. Sandy noticed her weakened resolve and whispered to her,

"Don't give in. If they don't go now, they can be scarred for life." Kirsten wiped her tears dry and kissed both boys on top of their heads.

"Boys, I want to spend time with you, too."

"Then let us go home! We'll listen, we promise!"

"It's not that easy, sweetheart. Daddy and I have to go to our jobs. And you guys have to go to school. School is your job, ok? It'll be fun. Now, what Daddy and I want you to do is have fun, because the more fun you have, the faster time passes. Then, before you know it, I'll be here to pick you up, and we can go home, and we can play a game and watch a movie, and we can all eat dinner together. Ok?" Both boys nodded, defeated, but continued to cry and reached forward to hug their parents.

They dropped off Ryan first, as he would have Marissa to stay with, and would be a good role model for Seth. They put him down in his classroom near his teacher, who stated simply,

"Oh, someone has first day jitters! I'm Mrs. VanCamp, your teacher. What's your name?"

"Ry...an... Cohen." He managed to sniffle out.

"Well, Ryan, is this your mommy?" He nodded, "And this is your daddy?" another nod, "And this is your... brother?" He looked up at her hopefully and nodded, "Is your brother starting school today, too?" Yes or no questions seemed to suffice, and Ryan nodded once more, "He's in Miss King's class, isn't he?"

"Yeah," He managed to finally regain his voice, "Can my brother be in my class?"

"I don't think so, Ryan. Your brother has to be in his class. You'll see him before lunch, at recess, okay? Now, say goodbye to mommy, daddy, and... what's your brother's name?"

"Seth," he sniffled out, attempting to prevent himself from crying again.

"Okay, say goodbye to Seth." He looked down at his shoes and put his arms in the air for his parents to hold him. Kirsten picked him up and held him to her, reminding herself that her boys weren't leaving her, and neither was her mother, attempting to allay the nagging reminder that her mother could leave her at any moment, too. The terror had been in the back of her mind since the previous week when it had finally hit her that her boys were starting school.

"Bye, mommy."

"Bye, baby. I'll be back at 3:30, ok?" He nodded against her shoulder, adding,

"Don't be late."

"I won't. I promise."

"I love you, mommy."

"I love you, too, sweetheart." She kissed his head and passed him to Sandy, who held him tightly and kissed his temple.

"Ok, buddy. I need you to show me what a big boy you can be. You need to be a big boy for mommy, ok?"

"Ok, daddy." He put Ryan down and looked him straight in the eye,

"You scared?" Ryan nodded, and Sandy smiled, "Ok, then you know what we have to do." Ryan grinned sheepishly, and suddenly said,

"1, 2, 3..." He and Sandy began to shake their entire bodies. Once they finished, Sandy laughed and pulled Ryan into another hug.

"Did you do a good job shaking your scares out? You got them all?" Ryan nodded and whispered,

"Thank you, daddy. I love you."

"Anytime, pal. I love you, too." Sandy gave Ryan a last squeeze, kissed the crown of his head, and pulled away, allowing Seth and Ryan to hug each other.

"I love you, brother."

"I love you, too, brother." Kirsten became teary-eyed yet again; Seth and Ryan only called each other "brother" when they were truly scared and afraid that they were going to lose each other.

"Sethie, Ry, remember you're going to see each other at recess."

"Yeah, mommy. I'll see you at recess, Ryan."

"I'll see you at recess, Seth... Hey, Seth? I'm in here if you need me." Seth smiled, mouthed something that Kirsten and Sandy couldn't comprehend, though Ryan began to laugh hysterically. Deciding that it was time to go, Sandy and Kirsten blew their blonde son a kiss, reminded him they'd be back later once more, and led Seth out of the room. Kirsten inhaled and wiped away a tear,

"One down, one to go."

They led Seth into the room next door, and brought him to a little girl who they'd met once or twice before at the Coopers' house.

"Hi, you're Summer, right?" Sandy asked the little girl, who glanced up at him, gave him a half-smile, nodding, and looked back at the Play-doh she was busy with, "I'm Sandy Cohen. This is Kirsten. Do you remember Seth? You met him and his brother, Ryan, at Marissa's house once." She nodded again and suddenly cleared her things off of a seat next to her, an obvious invitation from 4-year-old to 4-year-old to sit and join her.

"Ok, buddy. You going to be ok?" Seth, surprisingly, smiled at his father,

"Yeah, daddy. I'll be ok."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. I have Summer. And Ryan was a big boy- I can be a big boy, too." His smile still held a bit of fear, so Sandy asked him one more question,

"You wanna shake them out?" Seth looked at the floor, smiled nervously, and nodded,

"1,2,3..." He and Sandy began to shake themselves much as Sandy and Ryan had earlier, and both laughed when they were finished.

"Thank you, daddy."

"Hey, there's no one I'd rather shake my scares out with than you and your brother."

"I know, daddy. I love you."

"I love you, too, son." Kirsten, who was shocked by her son's bravery, allowed tears comprised of pride and worry to roll down her cheeks.

"Seth, baby, I'll be back..." Seth interrupted her,

"At 3:30. I got it, mommy. I know. Don't be worried. If Ryan can do it, so can I." She smiled through the tears and held him close to her,

"I love you, honey."

"I love you, too, mommy. I'll see you later."

"I'll see you later. Bye, baby." As they walked away, Kirsten and Sandy heard Summer's small voice ask,

"What did you and your daddy just do? When you shook, I mean."

"We were shaking our scares out."

"That's weird."

"I don't think so."

"Ew!" A pause, then a peace offering, "Wanna share my blue Play-doh?"

What seemed like ten hours later, Kirsten glanced at the clock in her new office for the 67th time- _12:23 pm_. The hours had crept by, and she lifted her favorite picture of the boys- one where the boys had just gotten out of the bath. Both were wrapped in oversized towels, grinning feverishly next to the sink and mirror. Seth's normally bouncy brown curls looked almost black, matted to his head, and Ryan's usually bright blonde hair covered his eyebrows and crept towards his eyes, looking a bit darker from the water saturating it. She silently inhaled and sat back in her chair. _This will get better. There's no way it can't. _

When her phone rang, the first time that day, five minutes later, she hastily picked it up, startled by the noise.

"Hello?" She asked, fumbling to regain thought.

"Hello, Mrs. Cohen? This is Linda Mason, one of the assistant principals at Harbor Elementary School."

"Yes, yes. Is something the matter with Seth or Ryan?"

"Well, we had somewhat of an incident..." Kirsten interrupted with a quick,

"I'll be there shortly."

Fifteen minutes later, Kirsten streamed into the main office of Harbor Elementary.

"My boys, Seth and Ryan Cohen. Are they in here?" The receptionist rudely glared at Kirsten, then pointed to a room labeled "Kindergarten Office." Absently thanking the unconcerned woman, Kirsten walked briskly into the small, undecorated room. She found Seth and Ryan seated next to each other, dwarfed by oversized adult chairs. Ryan sat, occasionally sniffling, and Seth stared at his new Power Rangers shoes as she came up from behind them, throwing her arms around them. Startled, they both looked up into her concerned blue eyes.

"Mommy!" Ryan called as she knelt down in front of them, checking their faces for signs of hurt and wiping their cheeks dry from tears.

"Are you ok?" Both boys nodded and she continued, "Did you get hurt?" Two simultaneous head shakes prompted a third question, "Then what happened?" Suddenly, both boys became innately interested in their shoes, neither meeting Kirsten's gaze. Her only reaction she received was another sniffle from Ryan. Suddenly, the woman who had explained the reason the boys were split strode into the room.

"Ah, Mrs. Cohen. It's nice to see you again. Sorry it couldn't be under better circumstances."

"Ah, yes. Nice to see you, too. I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name before."

"I'm Ms. Henderson. Please, take a seat." Kirsten sat in a chair between Ryan and Seth and waited for Ms. Henderson to begin speaking again. "So, Mrs. Cohen, we seem to have had a problem with your boys."

"Yes, I've heard. What happened?"

"Well, it seems that Ryan went to speak to Seth, and Seth was with a group of friends. Apparently, they've formed some sort of a club, which Ryan was not allowed to join for some non-understandable reason. Seth said some rude things to his brother, I believe along the lines of name-calling, and Ryan was later found by his teacher, crying by the swings. When she asked him what had happened, he told her that his brother no longer loved him." Kirsten noticed how rehearsed that had sounded, but decided to look at Seth skeptically, rather than Ms. Henderson, who continued to talk, "Now, I believe, if it is possible, that it may be a good idea to allow the boys to go home now to give them time to cool off. Then, tomorrow, we can try again." Kirsten nodded, stood, thanked the woman for her time, and led the boys out of the room.

Upon arriving at home, Kirsten bid Seth and Ryan to the den to watch a video, and went to call her office, letting them know she wouldn't be in for the rest of the day. It wasn't the best way to end her first day, but her father would understand. She went to check on the boys, and found only Ryan sitting on the couch. Seth, she realized, hadn't said a word the entire car ride home, and must've banished himself to his room. She went upstairs to check on him, told him that she loved him, but that he'd have to talk to his daddy when he got home. She reminded him that he was welcome to join Ryan watching TV, but he merely shook his head and turned towards the wall, saddened by the day's events. She turned silently and went downstairs to spend time with Ryan, sitting on the couch and watching TV with him.

Kirsten looked at her watch as she heard the door open, and stood from her place in the kitchen, where she had been reading a magazine, to greet Sandy. She had called him earlier to inform him of the situation at hand, so he greeted her with a,

"How are they?"

"Seth's been up in his room all afternoon- he doesn't want to come down. Ryan's been quieter than usual, but he's still around- he's playing with his Power Rangers action figures."

"Alright, I'm going to go talk to Seth. I'll be back." First, however, he stopped for a pit stop with Ryan.

"Hey, buddy, how are you?"

"I'm ok, daddy."

"You're not sad?"

"A little."

"How come, pal?"

"Because Seth doesn't love me anymore."

"Oh, buddy-boy, of course Seth still loves you! Don't say that!" Ryan gave him a patronizing smile and said, with doubt in his voice,

"Ok, daddy."

"Pal, he's your brother. He could never not love you, ok? I'm going to go talk to him now, alright?" Ryan nodded, stood up, kissed his father on the cheek, and wandered into the kitchen, quietly announcing that he was hungry. Sandy climbed the stairs and entered Seth and Ryan's room, finding Seth laying on his back on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Hey, buddy."

"Hi, daddy." Seth didn't meet Sandy's gaze, and Sandy chose to get straight to the point.

"So, what happened today in school?"

"Did mommy tell you?"

"Yeah."

"Then why do you want me to tell you?"

"Because I want to hear your side of the story." Seth exhaled loudly, then allowed the words to spill out of his mouth.

"Well, I was trying to do what you wanted me to do- make friends. So, I was talking to that girl Summer, and this boy, Luke, who was her friend, walked up to her and started talking to her and me. So I started to play with them. Then, at recess, we were in our club- it was the Power Rangers club, and since I had Power Rangers on my shirt, I was in the club. Ryan came up to me to play, and Luke told me that Ryan couldn't be in the club because he wasn't wearing anything with the Power Rangers on them. All of us were wearing it, even Summer- she was wearing the pink ranger, and it would've messed us up. So I told Ryan he couldn't play with me and then Luke told me to call Ryan a doody-head or I wouldn't be his friend anymore, so I called Ryan a doody-head so they would still be my friends." At this point, Seth was out of breath, as was Sandy from simply listening to him. _Wow. _He thought _Kindergarten is way more technical nowadays. _

"Seth, pal," He paused to find the right words, "I'm glad that you're making new friends. And I know you want to play with them. That's fine. But you can't cut Ryan out of the loop. You're a great kid. You're funny, you're sweet, you'd make a great friend for anybody. You'll have hundreds of friends throughout the rest of your life. But Ryan is your only brother. He'll be your brother and your best friend for the rest of your life. As much as you like your new friends, none of them will take care of you the way Ryan does. And right now, your brother is downstairs thinking you don't love him anymore."

"That's not true!" Seth defended himself.

"Tell him, not me."

"Ok... Daddy?"

"Yeah, Seth?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Again, wrong person to tell."

They found Ryan in the kitchen, and Kirsten and Sandy stood in the corner, listening to the boys' conversation.

"Ryan?" Seth was nervous and not hiding it well.

"Yeah..."He couldn't bring himself to look Seth in the eye.

"Ry... I'm sorry," Ryan glanced up quickly, then back down at the cookie sitting in front of him. Seth continued, "You're my brother, and I just... I knew you'd love me either way. But Luke and Summer and... Holly, I guess... nobody likes her... I don't know why she's in our group... She's really annoying... She picks her nose..."

"Seth!" Sometimes it took Ryan to get Seth on track.

"Right, right. Sorry. So, I was just... you had Marissa and I didn't have any friends in my class and I really just wanted someone to play with at school... And I was scared Luke wouldn't be my friend if I wasn't mean to you. But I'm sorry. You're my brother and I love you and I don't ever wanna make you sad. Are you mad at me?" Ryan shook his head.

"No... I just thought you didn't want to be my brother anymore."

"No way! I have way more fun with you than I ever could with Summer or Luke!" Ryan smiled.

"Want a piece of my cookie?" Seth nodded, prompting Ryan to break the cookie in half.

That night, as Kirsten and Sandy walked past the boys' room fifteen minutes after putting them to bed, they heard them talking and decided to listen to the conversation.

"Ry, I'm sorry about today."

"It's ok... So, what's Luke really like?"

"Kinda mean. Wears a sweater-vest, which is weird. Definitely not as much fun as you."

"And Marissa's not as much fun as you."

"Night, Ryan."

"Night, Seth."

The next morning, Seth and Ryan woke bright and early. As they said goodbye to each other at school, tugging on their matching blue-and-green striped shirts, they hugged and whispered,

"See you at recess."

Lorelai stood next to Rory, admiring her daughter and herself in the mirror. They were at their old home in the Independence Inn, Rory in her flower girl's dress and Lorelai in her wedding dress. It was Luke and Lorelai's wedding day, and none of the members of the Danes-Gilmore family could contain their excitement. Rory had been bouncing around for the past week, telling all of her classmates in her kindergarten class that her mommy and daddy were getting married, prompting confused "But mommies and daddies are already married, aren't they?" from her classmates. Lorelai and Sookie had spent the week giddily making wedding preparations, having daily discussions about the menu in the kitchen now being run by Sookie.

"So, what's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"Everything... what's it like?"

"Sook, I need more details."

"Motherhood. Being in love. Getting married. Living with a man."

"Well, it's all weird. Motherhood is difficult. But I love Rory more than anything. Honestly, it's weird to have someone you'd literally do anything and everything for, even if it's just to make sure she's happy. And being in love is... great. It's just... every time I see him, my stomach just flips. I love him so much. And a lot of people say we're too young to be in love and getting married. But I've met these people. They were together for two and a half years, had no kids, didn't sleep in the same room, and broke up. They know love better than me? I don't think so. Getting married is bizarre. That's the only way to put it. And living with a man is... fun. He always makes me food and I love going to sleep next to him every night. I love that he's the last thing that I see every night. And in the morning, even if he has to get up and work in the diner, I can look right over and just... see the notes he leaves for me and the picture of the two of us."

"You know what's weird?"

"Us?"

"That too. Have you ever spoken to the other people our age?"

"Not so often."

"It's just- I speak to other people our age, and they talk about their best friend and how they went to a kegger last weekend and got drunk and slept with, like, five different guys, and how this weekend they're going to the library to study together. Then they ask me about my best friend and I'm like, well she spent the weekend with her 4-year-old- she was sick with a cold, and then she spent the rest of the time making wedding preparations. Then, to top it all off, she went home and spent a quiet night watching TV with her fiancee." Lorelai merely smiled in response and whispered,

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

She adjusted her wedding dress and admired it in the mirror. She had found the perfect dress; it was white (she decided nothing in her life was traditional, so why should tradition prevent her from wearing the dress she wanted?), strapless, with beading along the upper half. The bottom of the dress was soft, straight, and to the floor, with minimal train. It was truly beautiful. Lorelai's hair was simple- the way she loved to wear it. She had had a hair dresser pull her hair into a half ponytail, then curl her hair in a mixture of tight and loose curls. The final touch was a spray of light sparkles, that shone brightly when she moved her head.

She admired Rory's dress in the mirror. The wedding party was dressed in pale pink with black accents, and Rory looked like a princess in her outfit for the wedding. Her dress was pink and sleeveless, with a black sash and pink flower wrapped around her waist. Her hair was pulled into a french braid, with pink rosettes intertwined in her straight brown hair. Lorelai had even allowed her a touch of neutral-colored makeup because it was "a special day".

The bridal party consisted of Maid of Honor Sookie, flower girl Rory, bridesmaids Mia, Maisy (a friend of Luke's parents), and Liz (Luke's sister), ring bearer Jess (Luke's nephew), Best Man Buddy (another friend of Luke's parents, who was married to Maisy), and groomsmen Andrew, Morey, and Kirk (all townspeople Lorelai had convinced Luke to allow to join the wedding). She adored these people and this town- they had taken her under her wing when she'd run away from home, and helped take care of her and Rory when her mother didn't.

Lorelai had invited her parents to the wedding, but was unsure of whether they would actually show up. They had never RSVPed, and were appalled when they discovered that Lorelai had chosen to walk alone down the aisle, towards Rory and Luke, who would be standing next to one another, as a symbol of her independence and her views of her new life. She smiled sadly at Rory, who enthusiastically smiled back. Quickly, Rory told her mother,

"Mommy... I'm happy you and Daddy are getting married."

"Me too, kid... Me too."

Two hours later, Lorelai's ecstatic smile spread across her face as she heard her wedding song play. As "My Girl" began to play through the band's loudspeakers in the backyard of the inn on the beautiful September day (no one, except Luke, Lorelai, and Rory knew the significance of the song, and that was ok with them), Lorelai squealed to herself, and strode forward towards the two people she loved most in the world.

As she slowly glided past, she heard an assortment of "Look how beautiful she looks!" and "Is that not the most gorgeous dress you've ever seen?", along with a few "She deserves this. Have you ever seen three people so singularly happy to be a family in your life before?". She couldn't help but squeal again as she came closer and closer to Luke and Rory, who was clutching her father's hand excitedly.

"Hi," Lorelai whispered simply to Luke when she arrived at the front of the aisle.

"You look... nice."

"I think I'll wear this more often," She looked down at Rory, who asked innocently,

"Almost married, mommy?"

"Almost married, baby," She bent down and kissed Rory's cheek, "I love you, sweets."

"I love you, mommy." Luke followed suit and kissed Rory's other cheek.

"I love you, princess."

"I love you, daddy." Rory turned and stood next to Sookie, as she had been instructed to do, and Luke and Lorelai turned around, facing the town's minister.

"We are here today, to join in the holy matrimony of Lucas Danes and Lorelai Gilmore. And, if I must say so myself, what took so long?" The whole town laughed and nodded in agreement, and Miss Patty shouted out "Amen!". The minister continued, "Now, I have known Luke since he was a baby. He grew up a family-oriented boy. He was respectful of his parents, always tried to help out around the store, did generally well in school, but he was never truly happy. Then, one day, Lorelai came to town. She was a spunky seventeen-year-old with a one-year old daughter- the cutest little girl I'd ever seen in my life. She did what it took to take care of herself and Rory, and Luke liked that. Soon, the two began dating, and Luke... Luke was happy. Luke was smiling. He allowed himself to show his emotions, his feelings. He smiled. He laughed. He even kissed Lorelai when she came to the diner (something we all know he never did with his high school girlfriend, Rachel). These two are perfect for each other. They are unique, yet they balance each other perfectly. Now, Luke and Lorelai have chosen to recite their own vows. Lorelai?" Lorelai wiped the tears from her cheek and smiled up at the man she loved, slowly beginning,

" Two years ago- almost three, actually, I walked into a diner and begged a man for coffee. A random man, who wasn't so random. There was something about him that I was drawn to, and he came over and served me and my little girl. We began to talk and soon we became friends, but there was always that feeling of attraction and true love lying in the background. Then, one day, he finally asked me out,"

"Amen!" Interrupted Miss Patty again, echoed by Babette's,

"Finally!" Lorelai laughed, looked at the crazy townspeople she had come to regard as a large, institutionalized family, and continued,

"And the date... was one of the best things I'd ever done. Seriously, below Rory, it's the best thing I've ever done. And we began to fall in love. Luke, I've never known a love such as great as yours. You take care of me and Rory. You feed us, you keep us warm, you keep us from going insane. You really love her and, hopefully, me, and for that, I am eternally grateful. There is no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. I promise to try and eat healthier, try and drink coffee less..."

"Who are you trying to kid?" Luke joked, and wiped away a tear from Lorelai's cheek. She giggled and, through the happy tears, finished,

"And I will try... to make you as happy... as you make me. I love you and I'm so happy I get to spend the rest of my life with you." Luke smiled and squeezed her hand, and encouraging reminder that he couldn't wait for forever also. Slowly, as everyone watching on wiped the tears from their eyes, the minister choked out,

"Luke?" Luke inhaled deeply and prepared himself for the barrage of emotions that was about to pour out of his heart.

"Growing up," he began, "I was never around much outwardly-expressed love. My mother told me she loved me, but before I knew it, she was gone... Then, my father raised me, but he was never an overly-emotional man, and he withdrew even further after my mother passed away. Then, when I was around eighteen, my father was taken from me, too. I, myself, began to withdraw. I spent all my time working, I never made time for a girlfriend- I knew that when I met someone special enough, I would know it and I would wind up with her. And then, one day, a crazy woman- a girl, really, she was maybe just eighteen- anyway, she comes into my diner and I was instantly drawn to her. Looking back on it, I knew she was the one from the first time I saw her. And then, six months later, I asked her out on a date. I already had a connection with Rory, and I knew Lorelai most likely wouldn't have reservations about dating me rather than someone else. I only hoped she felt the same way about me that I did about her. We began dating and we became more and more like family; they were like the family I lost when I was so young. I was happy again, and that was saying something. Lorelai, you make me happier than anything else in the entire world. Everything- from going to sleep next to you at night, to waking up next to you in the morning, to taking care of Rory with you every day- is what makes my life great. I love you and Rory more than I've ever loved anything or anybody. I'm can't wait to spend tomorrow and forever with you and your perfect imperfections. So, I guess what I mean to say is, I love you." Lorelai smiled at him and wiped away her own tears before wiping at his; they squeezed each other's hands, then waited for the party to calm down before the minister began again,

"Lorelai, repeat after me. I, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore..."

"I, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore..."

"Take you, Lucas Andrew Danes to be my lawfully wedded husband..."

"Take you, Lucas Andrew Danes to be my lawfully wedded husband..." She squealed again at the word husband, then waited for the minister to continue.

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do us part..."

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do us part..." Jess stepped up from his spot next to Buddy and handed the ring to Lorelai, who thanked him and slowly slid it onto Luke's left ring finger.

"Luke, you ready?" He grinned broadly and looked Lorelai deeply in the eyes,

"You bet."

"Repeat after me. I, Lucas Andrew Danes..."

"I, Lucas Andrew Danes..."

"Take you, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore to be my lawfully wedded wife..."

"Take you, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore to be my lawfully wedded wife..." He laughed to himself as she squealed again, and the minister continued,

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do us part..."

"To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do us part..." Jess stepped forward once more, and Luke took the ring, gently sliding it onto Lorelai's left ring finger.

"We're married!" She whispered.

"We're married..." He whispered back, grinning from ear to ear.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The minister started, "I now present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Luke Danes! Luke, you may now kiss your bride... I know you've been waiting." Luke grinned at the minister, then turned to Lorelai, pulling him towards her as tightly as he could, and they kissed passionately. Slowly, reluctantly, they pulled away, smiling at each other. Rory ran between them and grabbed each of their hands,

"We're married!" Rory exclaimed to her parents.

"Yeah, sweets. We are." And together, the Gilmore-Danes family made their way down the aisle and waited to enter the reception.

Later that day, Luke and Lorelai entered the party to a standing ovation. They ran towards Rory, who was standing alone in the middle of the dance floor, and Lorelai picked her up.

"Now, traditionally, the first dance is between husband and wife, but, as we all know, Lorelai and Luke never do anything traditionally. The first dance will be to Luke and Lorelai's song, "My Girl", and it will be a family dance, where they will be joined by their daughter Rory," announced Luke and Lorelai's friend, Jackson, who was playing DJ for the night.

"My Girl" began to play, and the family held each other close. They repeatedly told each other, "I love you", kissed one another, and moved back and forth to the music. They blocked out everyone and everything around them, and didn't hear the comments of "Have you ever seen such a perfect family before?" and "If that's not love in it's purest form, I don't know what is". While the newlyweds and their daughter didn't hear the comments, other people did.

Standing at the doorway, Christopher felt his rage engulf him. _Who is this guy? Where does this guy get the nerve? Lorelai is mine. Rory is mine. I helped make her- I'm her father, not him. And he has the nerve to get married to Lorelai. And have a "family dance" with Lorelai and Rory. I hate this guy. He doesn't know what he's getting himself into._ With that, he turned and disappeared into the inn, watching the goings-on in the wedding the whole time.

Luke and Lorelai made their rounds throughout the droves of people who had come to celebrate their day with them. They peeled in and out, letting Rory stay and play with her cousin, Jess, who she had come to adore as a good friend and wonderful playmate. Rory and Jess slid across the floor in their bare feet and socks, waving to their parents occasionally to show off their activities. Luke and Lorelai laughed and thanked everyone for coming, reacting to the comments on how lovely they looked, how beautiful the ceremony was, and how big Rory was getting. When they reached a table in the back corner of the party, Lorelai received a surprise.

"Mom! Dad!" She called, leading Luke to them, slightly hiding her surprise and happiness at seeing them there.

"Hello, Lorelai."

"Hi, dad."

"You look lovely today. Absolutely beautiful." Lorelai blushed and whispered,

"Thank you, daddy."

"The ceremony was beautiful. Those were some vows you two wrote." This time, Luke blushed,

"Thank you, sir. Every bit of it was true."

"Luke... I believe you love my daughter and granddaughter. And I trust you to take care of them."

"Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me."

"Please, call me Richard."

"Thank you, Richard." Lorelai noticed that her mother had remained sitting stoically at the table, not saying a word.

"Hi, mom."

"Hello, Lorelai. Beautiful dress."

"Thanks, mom."

"You shouldn't be wearing white."

"Thanks, mom. Speaking of which, have you seen Rory, your beautiful granddaughter who resulted from my choice to not wear a white dress?" Subtlety was not in the cards for Lorelai that day, and she quickly and pointedly lost patience with her mother.

"Yes, Lorelai, I have. She was playing with that little hooligan with the brown hair."

"Mom, that's my nephew, Jess. He's Rory's cousin."

"Yes, Lorelai. Whatever you say." Luke could sense that this conversation was going nowhere good, so he interrupted,

"Honey, I think it's time for the speeches. Nice to see you again, Emily, Richard."

"Nice to see you, Luke. Lorelai, you look radiant," Richard waved goodbye.

Luke and Lorelai took their seats at the table in the front, with Rory next to Lorelai. After Sookie and Buddy had made their speeches, Luke stood slowly, holding Lorelai's hand.

"Luke, what are you doing?"

"Surprising you." He kissed her quickly and took the microphone, leaving Lorelai shocked that her husband would speak publicly for her. Luke hit his glass a few times with his fork and began to speak,

"Attention everybody! As you all know, I'm not good with words, so I'm going to try to do this quickly. This has been the greatest day of my life, mostly because I get to spend it with Lorelai and Rory, the two people I love most in the world. I'd like to thank you all for making this day so special for all three of us. But mostly, I'd like to thank Lorelai and Rory for making the past three years the best three of my life. They enrich my world and I really don't know how to express it to them better than the way that I'm about to. Now, I know this isn't our wedding song, but I just thought it was fitting." Slowly, suddenly, the music to _Maybe I'm Amazed _by Paul McCartney began to play, and Luke turned to face Lorelai as her jaw opened in shock.

He grabbed her hand and slowly pulled her up and out to the dance floor. She laid her head on his chest as he began to sing, and she wiped the tears from her eyes as she kissed his chest during the musical interlude, where they both told each other they loved the other, then spent a moment listening to each other breathe. It was contentment enough for them.

As Luke began again, Rory came and joined them, Luke lifting her on his hip.

They held each other tightly as the song came to an end, tears rolling down their faces.

"I love you," Luke whispered her ear.

"Like how much?" She joked.

"I just sang in front of a hundred people for you. That much." She smiled and kissed him sweetly.

"I love you that much, too." They heard Miss Patty excitedly tell Babette,

"I've been working on that with him for weeks! And I kept the secret! He owes me fifty dollars..."

After they sat down, many of the guests stood up and walked over to them,

"That was beautiful!"

"I wish my husband would do that for me!"

"He's really a completely different man with you, Lorelai. Completely different." They smiled and thanked their guests, and allowed Rory to go slide on the dance floor with Jess again.

Five minutes later, they heard Rory's agonized cries,

"Owww! Mommy! Daddy!" Luke and Lorelai jumped to Rory's aide, finding her sitting, clutching her knee, on the side of the dance floor.

"Rory, what happened?"

"Mommy, I was sliding and I fell and I got a boo-boo on my knee!"

"Let mommy and daddy see, baby." Rory pulled her dress up over her knee and Luke and Lorelai found it a bit cut up, but nothing too serious.

"Ok, you're going to be fine. Come, princess, daddy will get you cleaned up." Lorelai smiled as she watched Luke lift Rory while Rory giggled from a bounce he added for her. He took her off to the inn, where he washed off her knee, put on a Disney Princess Band-Aid he had put in the room designated to the wedding, and then turned, holding her hand, to lead her back into the reception.

Halfway back, however, they were stopped by a sudden tug on Rory's arm. They spun around to find Christopher clutching onto Rory's wrist.

"Chris..." Luke breathed, clutching Rory's hand tighter. She looked from Luke to Chris, from comfort to fear, from father to stranger.

"I'm sorry. Have we met?" Chris's arrogance made Luke angrier, and he resisted the urge to punch the guy and carry his daughter to safety. Instead, he responded through gritted teeth,

"No. Lucky you. But I've seen pictures and heard stories."

"All wonderful, I'm sure. Just let go of my kid so I can speak to her."

"Well, if I see your kid around anywhere, I'll let go of her and let her talk to you. But right now, my daughter and I are going inside to my wife and my family and friends."

"You ass!" Chris pushed Luke; Luke was furious- not so much because this guy had just pushed him, but more so because he had used that kind of language around Rory.

"Watch it!" Rory's eyes grew wide, and she quietly called,

"Daddy!"

"What, Rory?" Chris's eyes shot to the little girl, but found them not looking at him for sympathy; rather, they were watching Luke hopefully. They were the eyes of a little girl asking for her father's protection. It slowly dawned on Chris that they were not focused on him.

Chris grew angrier by the millisecond, and suddenly found himself screaming at Luke,

"You think you can steal my life! My girlfriend! My daughter! They're mine! They're supposed to be with me!"

"They don't BELONG to you! They don't belong to anyone! That's the problem with you, you don't realize that they need things also- you're not the only one! We're a family! We protect each other and take care of each other! You never offered that to either of them."

"Lorelai and I belong together!"

"Is that why you're telling me this at our wedding!" Chris suddenly pulled back his fist, and was about to swing when he felt a large, strong hand grab his own. He was swung around to face Richard, who threw him to the floor.

"Christopher, leave!" Christopher was utterly flustered,

"Richard... I..."

"I saw what you did! And I'd thank you not to manhandle my granddaughter like that!"

"Richard, she's my daughter!"

"Like hell, she is! This man has taken care of Rory in a way that you've never attempted to! Have you seen the way she looks at him! Lorelai never looked at me that way- never! This man is her father, and you are merely an unwelcome guest at a wedding celebration! Now leave, please!" Christopher stumbled to his feet, whispered a rushed "Sorry" and tripped over himself, running out the door.

Lorelai came up from behind them,

"I saw the whole thing! Are you two ok? Did he hurt you? Rory, how's your wrist? Luke, did you get hurt?"

"Lorelai, calm down. We're fine." He attempted to calm his crying wife and daughter, holding and rocking them both.

"His audacity! To come here and tell you that! I love you and so does Rory, you know that, right, Luke?"

"Of course, sweetheart. I know."

"Luke... I want you to adopt Rory."

"What?"

"Just to make it official... It's just... I've been thinking about it for a while now, and I think it's right. I mean, if something, G-d forbid, ever happens to me- you wouldn't get Rory. Chris would get her, because he has the parental rights. I need to know that she'll be safe and with you, Luke... I'm sure there's something we can work out, where we can show the judge he's neglectful- give him twice-yearly visits or something. And make sure she's yours legally, not just emotionally." He paused and kissed both of their heads,

"I'd love that." He slowly began to sing to them again, this time softly and privately, and this time to the tune of _My Girl_

Once she had calmed down, Rory looked up at Luke with questioning eyes,

"Daddy, who was that man?"

"Christopher, sweetheart. You remember him, don't you?" Rory shook her head no, then quickly added,

"I don't want to remember him." Luke smiled at his daughter, kissed her forehead again, then led her and Lorelai back into the reception to finish their almost-perfect wedding, and finally begin their lives together.


	7. Age Five

_A/N- Thanks again for your reviews! I got my most reviews for any chapter so far for the last one, try and beat it!_

_A/N 2- Questions! I am going to keep Richard pretty prominent in here, and Chris will make appearances, too. I don't think I'll have Emily so much (I don't really like her anymore) :-D_

_A/N 3- I know no one's said anything about this, but I just thought I'd explain. My theory is that, if Lorelai and Rory had gotten to Luke earlier, he wouldn't have gotten the chance to become so grumpy. That's why he's so sweet with Rory and Lorelai._

_Disclaimer- Seriously, I'm a 16-year-old with aspirations of being a preschool teacher. You think I own anything?_

Age Five

Rory Gilmore sat at the kitchen table in her parents' small apartment above the diner owned by her father. She clutched a pencil with one hand and reached for the bowl of potato chips set out by her mother with the other, trying to finish her homework. Her mother, however, was not about to let that happen easily.

"Hey, Ror... wanna go get some ice cream?"

"I'm doing my homework now, mommy."

"C'mon- you can take a break. I'll let you get the really gross kind of sprinkles that stick to your teeth!"

"Mommy, I'm doing my homework..."

"I won't tell on you!"

"Mommy! Why don't you go bother daddy?"

"Daddy yelled at me and told me to bother you..."

"Well, why don't you go look through the newspapers?"

"Because I already watched the news today..."

"No, to look for houses for sale!"

"Oh, good idea! See, I knew I loved you for a reason!" Rory rolled her eyes and her mother sarcastically blew her a kiss, which she quickly returned.

The Gilmore-Danes family had decided to buy a new house after Lorelai and Luke returned from their honeymoon. Rory had brought in a slew of gifts that she'd received from her parents, who brought them back from their cruise in the Caribbean, and placed them in her room, finding that she herself had no room to move. Lorelai Gilmore-Danes, as she was now officially called, had decided it was a better idea to move to a bigger place now that Rory was growing and they were quickly becoming a real "adult" family.

Searching for the perfect house had proven difficult. Every house was either too small or too big, the street too noisy or too quiet, the neighbors too obnoxious or too creepy. To Lorelai, it felt as if they had looked at every house in Stars Hollow, including ones already inhabited by town residents; none of the houses they looked at were right. Their main deciding factor was Rory, and Rory wasn't comfortable in any one of these homes; she would whine, she would hide behind her parents, or generally act the opposite of her usually pleasant personality.

Lorelai found an ad in the paper for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom house on Kelly Road, circled it, and convinced Luke to allow Caesar to take over while he went with her and Rory after the lunch rush to go look at it. Luke agreed, and at 2:45, they set off for a walk down to 17 Kelly Road.

Rory was skipping ahead of her parents when she first laid eyes on the house.

"Mommy," she breathed in awe, "it's big!" Lorelai laughed and stood behind the little girl, looking up at the house; she felt a wave of emotion rush over her.

"I love it!" She exclaimed, turning around and tugging on Luke's hand, much as Rory did when she craved a treat that Luke wouldn't allow her.

"We just got here. You can't possibly love it yet."

"Says who?" He shrugged and gave the house a once-over. In spite of the fact that it was a nauseating green color, the number of redeeming qualities were countless. It was big, the yard was huge, the street it was on was quiet, but still had some activity, and it was right next door to Babette and Morey's house, which was useful for spur-of-the-moment babysitting needs.

His wife's spontaneity, however, did not rub off on him. While the house did seem to be an amazingly good fit for them, he still wanted to be sure of his decision before he committed. While he was more light-hearted when he was with the girls, he would never be as impulsive as Lorelai was.

"I love it. It's the one," Lorelai repeated matter-of-factly, an eager grin spreading across her face.

"Don't you think we should go inside first?"

"We can, but I know this is the one. When I know, I know... like how I knew with you," she added for emotional effect. Luke sighed and stared down into her hopeful blue eyes.

"I just hope Rory didn't inherit your impetuousness."

"She's all me, baby." Lorelai smirked devilishly as Rory came to her mother and asked her for a drink.

"Sure, sweets. It's in the bookbag you made daddy bring." Luke took the small, yet heavy, bookbag off his back and put it on the floor next to Rory with a grunt; he hadn't wanted to bring the thing in the first place, but with one pleading puppy-dog glance from Rory, he caved and packed a bag full of sodas, juices, and books for her.

She rummaged through the bag and pulled out her copy of the book _Double Fudge _by Judy Bloom and a juice box.

"That she got from you," Lorelai stated as she motioned to the juice box Rory had picked in lieu of a Coca-Cola. Smiling, Luke led Lorelai and Rory into the house.

Past the threshold of the front door, they came face-to face with an entryway boasting doors leading to a den and a staircase and another leading to the kitchen. Once they began to wander through the house and into the kitchen, Rory immediately found herself comfortable in a nice-sized bedroom coming off of the kitchen. As she sat against the wall and situated herself with her book and her juice box, her parents continued to browse through the house.

"We'll need to change the back door lock," Luke mentioned matter-of-factly.

"Reason being..."

"That's the kind of lock burglars look for. It's easy to break into... I wonder what else needs to be fixed in here... we don't need a fixer-upper, Lorelai. We need to have money to spend on other things... We need a new car, for instance, and if the house costs more to repair than it does to actually purchase, then we can't get the new car..."

"Luke!" Lorelai interrupted him, "Honey, you're ranting. This is a nervous tangent; that's all. You've found one thing, other than the color of the house, that needs to be fixed. We need more room, Luke. And we have your car, that's enough. Not to mention the fact that the house won't cost that much, and it won't take that long to save up for a car, ok? Now, let's go look upstairs and see what needs repairing up there before you flip out and we wind up living above the diner until Rory's kids complain that they want to move out." Luke looked ashamed, but slightly calmer.

"Ok... I'm sorry. Come, let's go upstairs." He kissed her, a request for forgiveness, and she eagerly pardoned his behavior.

Upstairs, they found a bathroom, closet, and bedroom, which they promptly entered, arms around each others' waists and her head on his shoulder. Lorelai's eyes grew wide as she surveyed the room.

"Luke, this is our room!"

"Sweetheart, you're getting ahead of yourself." She let go of him and began to pace around, gesturing wildly with her hands,

"No, Luke! This is the house! Can't you see us living here? Having movie nights in the den? Rory studying in the kitchen? You and me waking up next to each other right here every morning!" Grinning at her (he adored when she was passionate), he pulled her into a hug, kissing her head.

"I think, if you like it, then it's perfect." She smiled up at him and kissed him sweetly.

"I love you." It was her answer to anything he said when she knew she had won an argument.

"Yeah, well, I only want you for your looks." Lorelai feigned disgust,

"You mean like "looks" like you're sleeping on the couch tonight?" He snickered at her, then pulled her close to him, engulfing her in a passionate kiss. A minute later, he pulled away,

"I love you." She paused, considering,

"I love this house."

"Then this is home."

Later that night, they told Rory their plans to purchase the house; Rory was ecstatic,

"Mommy, can the room I was in be my room!"

"Of course, baby."

"It's so big! I'll have a place to put all of my books!"

"We can even buy you more books to put in extra spaces you have."

"Daddy, can you paint my room?"

"What color, princess?"

"Pink! With princesses on them, like me!"

"Sure, sweetheart." Luke smiled at his girls, admiring their excitement and the similarities between them.

Later that night, as Luke and Lorelai put Rory to bed, Rory was full of questions, though her eyes and yawning mouth betrayed her true sleepiness.

"Mommy, when can we move into the new house?"

"Soon, sweetheart. I spoke to the guy and he said probably later this month."

"Is that how fast it usually goes?"

"No, sweets. It's quick, but we're not selling our old house and the people moving out of our new house are anxious to get out and go to their new house."

"Ok. Hey, daddy, could you make the princesses in my room look like me?"

"Sure, princess."

"But, daddy... promise me something."

"Anything."

"Now, I don't want to sound silly or like a baby but... promise me I'm your only princess. Like, that you won't find another girl and call her princess and forget all about me." Luke marveled at how Rory's five-year-old mind worked, but he made sure to soothe her fear.

"Of course not, sweetheart. You're my only princess, you know that. Nobody could take your place, ok? Mommy and I love you. You're mommy's sweets and my princess, got it?" Rory nodded and put her arms up for her goodnight hug and kiss from her parents, falling asleep the moment her light was turned off.

That night, as Luke and Lorelai were getting ready for bed, Lorelai was sifting through the mail; her busy day hadn't allowed her to read it before now. After numerous bills, postcards from her parents, and papers informing her she "may have won!" , she picked up a piece of mail that made her eyes widen.

She ripped open the paper and gasped.

"Luke! Luke!" Luke came rushing in from the bathroom.

"What! What's the matter!"

"Look at what came in the mail!" She handed him the letter and he read it once quietly to himself, then again out loud, a smile stretching from ear-to-ear.

"_Dear Mr. Lucas A. Danes, _

This letter is to inform you that the final adoption trial of minor Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, age five, is to be held on Tuesday morning, the twenty-fifth of October, at 10:30 am.

There will be no attorneys present. This trial is to check the well-being of the child, both physically and emotionally, and to grant legal custody to whoever may provide the best opportunity for the child.

Wishing you and your child happiness,

Paula Redmond

Sec. of Childcare" Luke smiled uncontrollably as he pulled Lorelai to him with one arm, holding and rereading the letter with the other.

Three weeks later, the Gilmore-Danes family was fully packed and on their way to move into the new house. Luke and Lorelai set Rory's boxes of books, toys, and clothing in her new bedroom and instructed her to unpack what she could; they'd be down to help her later.

After unpacking all of their things in the bedroom, Lorelai and Luke made their way down to the den, taking out the countless videos they hadn't seen in years. Making a vow to have a movie night with Monty Python's "Life of Brian", "Meaning of Life", and "Holy Grail", along with "Spinal Tap", they opened up the box marked "Pictures" in Luke's sprawling handwriting. At the bottom of the box, they reached a photo album which Lorelai recalled making the day after Rory's kindergarten graduation.

"Oh, honey! Come, let's look through it."

"We need to finish with this."

"We can take a break." She pulled him up and sat him on the couch, plopping herself down onto his lap.

The photo album was in chronological order, from the day Rory was born onward. Lorelai gasped at each picture, smiling and explaining the story behind it, even for the ones Luke was there for. Eventually, they came across a picture of Luke and Rory; it was Rory's third birthday, and she was leaning over from her place in Luke's arms, attempting to blow out the candles. Right next to her face was Luke's, his cheeks puffed out in the same way, helping her in her attempts. Luke smiled as he remembered that day- that moment.

Lorelai had decided that she was going to be the photographer for the day; it had been a week since Luke had proposed and she was on a new mission to take as many pictures of their happy little family as possible. She never wanted them to pose for pictures; she loved candid shots, showing how their family truly was.

When she had gathered the party around the large picnic table in the backyard of the Independence Inn, Lorelai led the group in a chorus of "Happy Birthday". Rory had attempted to blow out the candles, but couldn't reach her head over the table, so she tugged at Luke's shirt. Obligingly, he picked her up, waiting for her to lean over to finish the job she had attempted to start. After ten seconds of waiting, Luke turned to his daughter.

"Ror, what's the matter?"

"I want you to help me, daddy."

"Help you what, princess?"

"Help me blow out the candles." Luke was taken aback; he'd never known Rory to want assistance in anything.

"Ok... 1, 2, 3..." They blew out the candles and everyone clapped, but Luke turned to Rory, "Rory, why did you want me to help you? You know how to do it, you could've done it on your own." Rory looked sheepishly at Luke, then quietly answered,

"Cuz I wanted to share my wish with you." Luke was puzzled.

"What do you mean, baby?"

"Well, mommy always says that she got her wish. That she got you and me and that that was her wish. To have us. And I got my wish, cuz I got you and mommy and my friends and my party. But you didn't get your wish, daddy. And I want you to get your wish." Luke smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Believe me, munchkin, I got my wish. You and mommy are my wish, and I couldn't ask for a better one. I love you."

"I love you too, daddy."

"Happy birthday, little girl."

"Happy engagement, big man."

In the present, Luke smiled to himself and was possessed to go help Rory finish putting away her things in her room, logging some quality daddy-daughter time.

That night, the night before Rory's official adoption, Luke and Lorelai lay in bed, unable to fall asleep.

"It's going to be great. Sookie's doing the food for the after-party. She wants to make Roquefort puffs, but I told her to make hot dogs, too. And Miss Patty's bringing the music. Mia wants to come to the actual hearing; I told her it was ok. I mean, Mia's like a grandma to Rory, you know?"

"Lor..." Luke interrupted Lorelai's tangent and she seemed shocked- he usually loved her enthusiasm.

"What's the matter?"

"What if... What if the judge decides that I can't adopt her? That it's in her best interest to stay Chris's kid?" He managed to choke out.

"Oh, hon, don't be crazy! Rory loves you. Everyone can see that."

"But he's still her biological father."

"Yeah, but you're her daddy. Luke, there's overwhelming evidence that Chris has been negligent while you took over. I mean, even just at our wedding, he almost hit you in front of Rory. She can barely even recognize him, but if she ever sees him, she shudders. She sees you, she smiles and runs to give you a hug. She loves you." Luke smiled at her as she got up, picking up the new dress she had bought for Rory specifically for the occasion. She continued, "You have to understand that tomorrow, we will leave this house Luke Danes, Lorelai Gilmore-Danes, and Rory Gilmore. But when we come back, you and I are going to be the same, but she's going to be Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Danes."

"You're sure it's what she wants?" At that moment, they heard a small knock on the door, an unexpected noise that caused them both to jump.

"Come in!" Lorelai called, sitting back on the bed next to Luke.

"Mommy? Daddy? I couldn't sleep." Lorelai patted the space in the bed in between her and Luke and Rory eagerly jumped into her spot, clutching her favorite stuffed animal, Colonel Clucker.

"What's the matter, baby?"

"Nothing, I'm just excited for tomorrow. It kept me awake."

"Yeah, that or the huge slice of chocolate cake mommy let you have after dinner." Rory laughed and settled herself under the blanket.

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Luke and Lorelai nodded, and Rory leaned over, kissing her mother on the cheek.

"Night, mommy," She leaned over to Luke, "Night, daddy. I love you."

The next morning, Lorelai woke up first; she leaned over Rory to give Luke a kiss, trying to wake him up.

"Good morning." He smiled and his eyes opened slowly, blinking to adjust to the light.

"Hey, good morning." Lorelai smiled as her eyes shot to Rory.

"Luke, you still questioning whether she wants you or not?" He noticed the way Rory was sleeping. His arm was protectively around her small body, her legs curled up in front of her stomach, her head resting on his chest. He smiled contentedly.

"Not anymore."

Four hours later, Luke and Lorelai set out with Rory, who was dressed in a sleeveless purple dress with pink polka-dots of all sizes. Luke and Lorelai both looked at their little girl, who skipped happily while holding her parents' hands, and marveled. They couldn't believe that the tiny, innocent, defenseless baby from yesterday was this beautiful little girl today. Even in the past few months, she had grown so much, emotionally, physically, and mentally; she was intelligent and sweet, and very well-behaved. Her relationship with her parents had grown over time; she and her mother were closer than best friends, and she was a daddy's girl in nearly every sense of the word. Both Luke and Lorelai would do anything to protect her, and she knew that better than most 5-year-olds.

Inside the vast courthouse, they sat nervously, waiting to be called in. Rory sat on Luke's lap, holding Lorelai's hand. Luke's leg bounced nervously, Lorelai bit her nails, and Rory was subconsciously scratching at her arm. Mia, standing across from them, finally had had enough,

"What are you three so worried about?" Luke looked up, his whole body shaking from his leg's vibrations. He gave her a weak smile and looked back at the floor; Lorelai had only seen him like this once before- when Rory had a high fever and needed to go to the hospital. She was fine, but Luke didn't deal well with hospitals. Mia inhaled, then began to talk again, "Will you three relax? You're already a family. A piece of paper doesn't change that." Luke was about to answer when a woman with gray hair and glasses peeked her head out of the oversized door.

"Lucas Danes and Lorelai Gilmore?"

"That's us," Luke answered, and he picked up Rory, them, Lorelai, and Mia walking into the room.

The woman sat at a table and instructed Luke and Rory to sit across from her, while Mia and Lorelai sat behind them, a box of Kleenex sitting in between.

"Now, we are here to discuss the adoption of a minor, age 5, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore. Is the minor present?" Rory looked up at the woman, who continued, "Are you Lorelai?"

"Mommy says that's my real name. But everyone calls me Rory." The woman laughed.

"Hi, Rory. Who's this guy sitting next to you?"

"This is my daddy," she said matter of factly as he squeezed her hand for strength under the table.

"You are Lucas Danes?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you are here because you wish to adopt this little girl?"

"Yes, ma'am." She nodded and looked down at the paperwork under her nose.

"Well, I have reviewed your case. It seems we have a negligent birth father, a man taking over in the role, and testimonial from your wife requesting that we allow 'Rory to be with her real father, Luke Danes'. We also have a request for a name change from Lorelai Leigh Gilmore to Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Danes. Is this correct?" Luke nodded; he knew his tears would flow if he spoke, "Well, after rereading the doctrine and taking into account all possible situations for this beautiful little girl, it is my pleasure, on behalf of the state of Connecticut, to grant the adoption of Lorelai Leigh Gilmore to Lucas Andrew Danes, and to change the name of said minor to Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Danes. Congratulations." Tears filled Luke's eyes as he picked Rory up and spun her around, kissing her hair. Lorelai and Mia ran to them and threw their arms around them.

"Daddy!" Rory called, trying to get his attention.

"What, princess?" He wiped tears out of his and Lorelai's eyes, grinning as widely as he had on their wedding day.

"Guess what!"

"What?"

"I'm Princess Rory Danes now!"

"Yeah, you are." And with that, they left, smiling and crying, to meet with their friends and family and celebrate the final union of their family.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kirsten stood in front of the mirror, her eyes red, her cheeks tear-stained, smoothing her black dress, wiping at ther sore eyes, careful not to smudge her mascara and eyeliner. She felt Sandy's strong arms wrap around her and she allowed herself to collapse into his body.

"You holding up ok?" She nodded silently. Ever since her mother had died three days earlier, it had been difficult to form words. Sandy understood ad continued to explain the day to her. "Allison is here; she's downstairs with the boys. The limo's going to come and take us to the funeral home... It's going to be you, me, and Hailey. Your dad wants to ride alone... I told the boys we won't be home until late, but I gave Allison our number..."

"I don't want to stay out late. I want to be home to tuck Seth and Ryan in tonight," She suddenly blurted, and for the first time, Sandy noticed she was fingering a picture of her mother, who looked frail and fragile, with the boys at Christmastime the previous year.

"Oh... ok. I just though you'd want to be with your dad and Hailey."

"I want to be with the boys."

"Not a problem. I'll tell them we'll be home earlier." She reverted to nodding again as he kissed her cheek, gave her an encouraging squeeze, and headed downstairs.

Later that evening, around 7:30 pm, Kirsten and Sandy returned home. The day had been a blur, a frenzied tornado of black, tears, and "I'm so sorry"s from nameless, faceless strangers. Exhausted, they trudged into the house and found Allison, the babysitter, sitting with the boys and watching a Power Rangers tape. Sandy paid Allison, thanked her for coming, and drove her home. Kirsten collapsed onto the couch, curling her legs under her. She allowed tears to drop- tears that she quickly and silently wiped away. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"Mommy?" Ryan's voice startled her.

"Hi, baby." She patted the two seats next to her and motioned for Seth and Ryan, who were standing side-by-side, to sit with her.

"Mommy, are you ok?"

"Yeah, Seth. I'm fine, sweetheart."

"Mommy, are you sad?"

"A little." The boys both leaned in and gave their mother kisses and hugs, then leaned on her, their symbol to show that they were there if she needed them.

When Sandy returned, he and Kirsten took the boys to bed, and, per her request, lay in bed with them as they fell asleep.

"Daddy?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, pal?"

"When's grandma gonna come over?"

"Yeah, we miss her." He heard Kirsten choke back tears; she needed to be strong for her boys.

"Boys, mommy and I need to talk to you about something."

"What, Daddy?"

"Grandma..." He struggled to get his words out, "Grandma needed... to go away."

"Oh... When is she coming back?"

"I'm not sure, Sethie... It might not be for a long time." Ryan seemed puzzled,

"Is it pretty where she went?"

"It's beautiful there. I'm sure of it." He smiled at his son, willing him to go to sleep, which he knew he wouldn't. At least not yet.

"So... can we go visit her?"

"No, pal. But we can do a lot of other things, like looking at old pictures and watching old home movies. You know how much Grandma loves that."

"Yeah, daddy." They slowly fell asleep and Kirsten and Sandy made their way downstairs.

The next night, they put Seth and Ryan to bed at 8, as usual, and sat together on the couch, flipping through old photographs of the boys and of Alice. They laughed as they came across a picture of the boys at the zoo, clutching cotton candy and stuffed giraffes.

"Remember, that was the day that Seth decided that giraffes were his favorite animal."

"And Ryan decided he wanted an elephant."

"But then Seth asked him who was going to clean up after it..." They both laughed at the memory as they flipped the page again.

Suddenly, they heard Ryan's anguished screams from upstairs,

"MOMMY!" With a quick glance at each other, they dashed upstairs, making a quick left to Ryan's bed when they reached the boys' bedroom. Kirsten sat on the bed as he flung himself at her, and she cradled him in her arms, rocking back and forth.

"Shhh... sweetheart, it's ok. Mommy's here. Mommy's here. What happened?"

"Mommy... don't... leave me!" He choked out, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

"Shhh... mommy's not leaving you, honey. Mommy's right here. I'm not going anywhere," her attention turned to her other son, who was sitting up, wide-eyed, in his bed, "Seth, are you ok, sweetheart?"

"Yeah, mommy... I'm ok."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I just woke up and Ryan was crying."

"Ok, baby. Go back to sleep."

"Mommy, is Ryan going to be ok?"  
"Ryan's going to be fine, sweetheart. He just got scared. Go. Goodnight. I love you." Sandy re-tucked Seth in and kissed him goodnight as Kirsten carried a shaking Ryan downstairs. Sandy came back downstairs, holding new pajamas for Ryan (his were soaked through from crying and wiping his nose on his sleeve), and kissed his son's head affectionately, sitting next to his wife and hysterical son.

"What's the matter with him?"

"I don't know. He's not sick- I felt his forehead. And I tried to put him down, but he just screamed and wouldn't let me go. I think maybe a nightmare."

"Is that it, Ry-guy? Was it a bad dream?" Ryan nodded into his mother's chest and allowed a sob to escaped him. They decided not to prod; it was better that he didn't discuss his nightmare before going back to sleep. Fifteen minutes later, Ryan's tears had pretty much subsided, and Sandy decided to try and persuade him back to sleep.

"Ok, buddy. I think it's time for you to go back to bed."

"NO! MOMMY, DON'T LEAVE ME!" His hysterical crying began again, and Kirsten began to rock him once again.

"Shhh... shh, baby. I'm not going anywhere... Do you want to sleep in mommy and daddy's bed tonight?" Ryan nodded again and she carried him to her bed, lying with him until he fell asleep.

When his breathing became slow, she motioned for Sandy to join her outside, and she slowly got up from the bed.

"What was that?" Sandy asked, incredulous.

"I have no idea... It's worrying me, though."

"Yeah... I mean, _maybe_ Seth I would expect this from. But Ryan? He's our rational child."

"Looking forward to their teen years?"

"Of course." A short pause was permeated by Kirsten's nervous breathing.

"Sandy?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"I'm worried about him. He's usually so calm. That wasn't normal."

"I know, honey. And if it continues, then we can figure something out." She nodded, and he pulled her into his arms.

"Let's go back. Before he wakes up again." He kissed her hair and they went back into their bedroom.

The behavior continued for a week; the boys would be put to bed at eight, by nine Ryan would become uneasy in his sleep, and around ten he'd wake up screaming for his mother. They had asked him about it one morning, and he had answered that he didn't remember the exact dream; he only remembered that in all of the dreams, Kirsten had left him. He shuddered at the memory and they let it drop. They soon discovered that if Kirsten lay with him as he fell asleep, he would generally sleep through the night.

One night, however, Ryan's behavior changed patterns. Kirsten had a meeting that night, but had made a request that it be a late meeting- 9:00. She laid with Ryan until he fell asleep around 8:25 and made her way, with Sandy, who had been laying with Seth, down into the kitchen.

"Ok, well, I'm going to be at the Arches. Here's the number in case you need me or if the boys wake up. If Ryan wakes up..." Sandy interrupted Kirsten's rambling,

"Honey, I'm their father. I know what to do if Ryan wakes up. I'm not the babysitter. What, are you going to tell me to help myself to anything in the fridge next?" Kirsten, embarrassed, looked at her shoes,

"I'm sorry, honey... It's just... I worry about them so much. I know I should just relax."

"No, no. It's ok. I didn't mean it like that. You're their mom. They need you to worry about them," He kissed her, "Go ahead. Have your meeting. Maybe slip your father some shellfish for me."

"My father hates shellfish."

"I know." She smiled and left, anticipating the agony that came with waiting.

An hour later, Sandy sat watching one of the boys' Power Rangers tapes, trying to see if he could decipher what they were talking about half the time. He was distracted, however, by a muffled noise coming from upstairs. He muted the tv in time to hear Ryan scream,

"MOMMY!" He rushed upstairs to the boys' bedroom to find Seth and Ryan sitting on Ryan's bed, Seth trying to calm his brother.

"Ry, it's ok! Mommy's here somewhere! Mommy wouldn't leave us! She loves us too much!"

"MOMMY!" Seth winced as Ryan screamed.

"Ry, is it a dream? Did you have another bad dream?" Ryan nodded again, then once again called out,

"MOMMY!" Seth noticed the light leaking into the room and found Sandy standing at the door.

"Daddy! Look, Ry, Daddy's here!" He turned his attention to Sandy, "Daddy, Ryan's sad again." Sandy ruffled Seth's hair and picked up Ryan, giving him a kiss on the head.

"Ok, buddy, go back to bed," He ushered Seth to his bed on the opposite side of the room and tucked him in, Ryan's tears soaking through his shirt, "Ok, goodnight, Seth. Thanks for being such a good brother. Say goodnight to Ryan."

"Night, Ry... Hey, Ry? Don't be sad. Mommy wouldn't leave us." Sandy smiled and kissed his son on the forehead, then bid him a goodnight and took his other son downstairs.

"Ok, Ry. What happened?"

"I... want... mommy!"

"Mommy's at a meeting, pal."

"Mommy left!"

"No, buddy! Mommy's going to be back in a little while."

"Mommy left me... and Seth... Mommy left me... and Seth," He managed to cough out, his nose running, his eyes red. Sandy was reminded of his wife the day her mother had died. _If that's not mother-son similarities, I don't know what is._

"Buddy, mommy didn't leave anyone. You want to call her?" Ryan nodded, wiping at his eyes.

Sandy picked Ryan up and made his way into the kitchen, picking up the phone number Kirsten had left him and quickly dialing it into the phone.

"Good Evening, The Arches," came the voice from the other side of the phone.

"Hi, I'm Sandy Cohen. My wife, Kirsten, is there with the Newport Group. Could I speak with her, please?"

"Just a moment, sir." A minute later, Kirsten's panicked voice answered the phone.

"Hello? Sandy? What's the matter? Are the boys ok?"

"Hi, honey. I have someone here who wants to speak to you." Sandy handed the phone to Ryan, who had been reaching for it ever since Sandy had dialed.

"Mommy?" He asked weakly, clinging to the phone with all of his strength.

"Ry? Are you ok, baby?"

"Mommy... don't... leave me!" He managed to sputter out before bursting into tears again.

"Ok, Ry, honey... I'm not leaving you. I'm going to come home right now, ok?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'll see you in a few minutes, sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you, mommy."

"Put daddy on the phone." Ryan handed the phone to Sandy and collapsed into a sobbing heap on the floor.

"Hello?"

"Honey, I'm coming home right now."

"You don't need to do that."

"Yes, I do. He needs me. I'll see you in about twenty minutes."

"Ok, I'll see you then. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

"Bye."

Sandy picked up Ryan and carried him into the den, putting on his favorite Power Rangers tape and returning to the kitchen to get Ryan a water-bottle filled with chocolate milk. He didn't try to get Ryan to talk; he knew his son and knew it was useless to talk to a hysterical Ryan who wanted his mommy. Suddenly, however, he felt Ryan tug at his arm.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, pal?"

"Mommy's coming home?"

"Mommy's coming home."

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"Thank you." He smiled at his son and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, kissing his hair.

"Any time."

Back at the Arches, Kirsten quickly returned and gathered her stuff from the table, feeling a hand on her shoulder. She turned and was face-to-face with her father.

"Kiki, where are you going?"

"I'm going home. Ryan woke up and he's hysterical."

"Well, shouldn't Sanford be able to deal with this?"

"Ryan won't let him."

"Well, then Ryan needs to learn. He needs to become patient. You're indulging him."

"I'm not indulging him, dad."

"You certainly are. Running home to him because he had a nightmare is indulging him." Kirsten did not want to deal with this, especially not right now.

"Dad, I'm going home to my son. He needs me. And I need to get home before he loses his mind, and before Seth thinks I'm leaving him too, and before Sandy goes insane, and also for my own piece of mind."

"Kiki, I forbid you to leave."

"You can't forbid me anything, dad."

"I certainly can. I'm your father."

"And I'm his mother. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, she left, leaving her father stunned at the confrontation behind her.

Fifteen minutes later, Kirsten arrived in the driveway of her house, nervously opening the door and rushing inside. As soon as she had closed the front door to the house, she heard the rush of tiny footsteps coming towards her.

"Mommy!" Ryan crashed into her and she wrapped her arms around him, picking him up as he repeated, "Mommy, don't leave me... Mommy, don't leave me..."

"Sh, baby. I'm right here. Mommy's not going anywhere. Shh." Sandy came and greeted her, kissing her cheek, explaining what had happened. She got him to calm down and put him to bed in her bedroom. That night, she and Sandy sat in the den, discussing what to do.

"Honey, I know you're not going to want to do this, but maybe... maybe we should send him to a psychiatrist. You know, just to see what it is that's bothering him. Maybe we can figure out what's wrong." Kirsten had no hesitation,

"I think so, too."

"Really?"

"I think he's not going to tell us and I think it's something underlying that we can't figure out. It's what's best for him."

Two days later, after some protest from Ryan, they took him for a meeting with the psychiatrist. He came skipping out into the waiting room where Seth, Kirsten, and Sandy were waiting.

"Mommy, daddy! I had so much fun! I got to color and play with trucks and watch a video then answer questions about it..." He continued to tell his parents about what he had done as the doctor came out of the room Ryan had just emerged from.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen?" They took the boys' hands and led them back into the room, going into the office to talk to the doctor. The doctor sat them down and began, "Now, I would like to begin by saying that you have a very sweet little boy in there."

"Thank you very much."

"And next, I would like to say, that he's perfectly normal." Kirsten smiled and nodded, waiting for the doctor to continue- she didn't want to wait any longer, "Now, I believe that you said that your mother recently passed away?"

"Yes, about a week and a half ago."

"And you explained it to your sons as that she had to go away?"

"Yes, why? Is something wrong with the way we did that?"

"No, no. That's the best way to explain it to a child your son's age. But, for some children, it hits them in an unexpected way," Kirsten nodded, "Now, Ryan is adopted, is he not?"

"Yes, he is. But we adopted him the day he was born."

"Yes, I know. I've been told the stories. But, still, he was abandoned by his birth mother. And I believe that this has stuck with him, subconsciously, and when he thinks about your mother leaving you, it comes back to him, even though you made him feel secure again. Some things trigger reactions like this in certain children."

"Ok... So, what do you suggest?"

"I suggest a change in location..."

"A vacation?"

"It may be a better idea to move away. The house reminds him of his grandmother, seeing his grandfather reminds him of his grandmother... pretty much, this whole town reminds him of his grandmother. Giving him a change in atmosphere may be the key to ending his fear of abandonment."

That night, after putting the boys to sleep, Sandy called a real-estate dealer; they'd be moving away from Newport shortly.


	8. Connecticut, Here We Come

_A/N- Loving the reviews... thought I'd mention it in case I've forgotten lately :-D_

_A/N 2- This chapter is dedicated to my baby cousin, Ally (She's thirteen, but she's_ my_ baby cousin). Because we can have three hour conversations about the OC without any awkward pauses. And because she knows my secret. And she gets it. :-)_

_Disclaimer: I repeat- I'm 16 with aspirations of being a preschool teacher. I write for fun and amusement. That's it. I own nothing._

Connecticut, Here We Come

Kirsten and Sandy had taken into account the psychiatrist's advice and had quickly gone to work researching towns they could move to. They had decided against big cities; they had too many bad memories rooted in snooty, big towns (though they had plenty of good ones, too). They had told their real-estate agent that they wanted to move to a small town, preferably in the east, to get as far away from the memories of Kirsten's mother's sickness as possible. The woman, Linda, quickly told them about a small town in Connecticut called Stars Hollow, population somewhere around three thousand.

Upon researching the place, they found that it had everything- a neighborhood diner, a mom-and-pop style supermarket, and even weekly town meetings. They booked a flight and inn reservations for the week after the boys were let out of school for the summer. The inn they were staying in was a sweet little place owned by a town resident; it was friendly, homey, and not overbearing. The town seemed perfect.

As the plane took off from the warm-as-usual California landscape, Kirsten and Sandy couldn't help but notice how different it was from the last time they had flown with the boys. Now six years old, they were more relaxed, able to entertain themselves, and had the capability to sit still for long periods of time. Still, they chose a later flight so the boys would fall asleep on the plane ride over.

The Cohens arrived in Connecticut at ten that night. The boys had recently fallen asleep, and Kirsten and Sandy wondered whether to pick them up and let them sleep or to wake them and have them walk. They chose to let them continue sleeping, so both went to pick up a boy. Seth continued sleeping (he still had the same ability to sleep through anything that he'd garnered as a baby), but Ryan's eyes blinked sleepily as his father bent to unbuckle and lift him.

"We there?" Ryan asked, suppressing a yawn.

"Yeah, pal. We're there. Take my hand." Ryan unceremoniously threw his seatbelt off of himself and slipped off the chair, sliding one hand into Sandy's, the other rubbing vigorously at his eyes. The family walked briskly towards the baggage claim; they wanted to get Ryan to the inn as soon as possible. Both knew their son's tendencies and could tell that he was on the verge of collapse.

"Ry, honey, put your sweatshirt on. It's a little chilly out," Kirsten instructed. The boys weren't used to the fifty-degree temperatures that permeated the Connecticut summer nights. Ryan nodded in response, yawning again, and allowed Sandy to help him put on his miniature hoodie, not helping or fighting the process; he was too tired for that.

Soon, they reached the baggage claim and "claimed their baggage," as Sandy had so aptly stated. While Sandy took the bags filled with clothes, Kirsten took the cosmetics bag (Seth was still asleep in her arms, so she couldn't carry anything heavier), and Sandy helped Ryan hoist the bookbag filled with the boys' toys and books onto his shoulders. They met a cabbie and loaded the bags into the trunk, piling into the car, Ryan and a still-sleeping Seth seated in the middle.

"Daddy, I'm cold," Ryan stated; he had pulled off his sweatshirt and put it into the bag of toys after discovering the warmth of the airport.

"I know, buddy. But your sweatshirt is in the trunk. Close your eyes- sleeping will make you warm up." Ryan nodded, yawned yet again, and quickly drifted off to sleep.

"Where you folks from?" The cabbie asked, his eyes reflecting in the rearview mirror.

"California," Kirsten offered, smiling politely at the man.

"So you left California to vacation in Connecticut?"

"I like the change," Kirsten responded, stroking Seth's curly brown hair.

"Suit yourself... cute kids."

"Thanks." The rest of the ride was spent in polite banter, discussing the weather and interesting things to do in town. Soon, they arrived at the inn, thanking and paying the cab driver and following the man who had taken their bags into the small inn.

"Welcome to the Independence Inn. How may I help you?"

"We're the Cohens- we have a reservation."

"Ah, yes. Room three." The man led them up the stairs and into a spacious room with two queen-sized beds. They set the boys down on one of the two and turned to listen to the man as he went through the motions he had been adequately taught.

"Breakfast is served from six to eleven-thirty, lunch from twelve to four-thirty, and dinner from five to ten. We have an amazing chef. There are brochures in the lobby of the best places to go. There's a channel guide next to the bed. Out manager will be here in the morning if you have any problems."

"Thank you so much." Sandy handed him a few bills as the man thanked him and left, bidding them good-night.

"We should get them changed into pajamas," Sandy mused, eyeing Seth and Ryan, who were sleeping peacefully side-by-side.

"Ryan's wearing sweats; he's fine. Seth needs to change his pants."

"I have it."

"I'll start unpacking." They kissed lightly and began their self-assigned tasks, finally resigning to bed at midnight, looking forward to their vacation.

The next morning, Kirsten was awoken by the sound of _Ahh! Real Monsters_ playing softly in the background. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking to adjust to the light, as she rolled over to look at the clock on the nightstand. _7:08._ She sat up to find the boys on the floor at the foot of the bed, sitting cross-legged, engrossed in the adventures of Ickis, Krumm, and Oblina.

"Morning, boys."

"Morning, mommy," they answered absent-mindedly, their gaze never leaving the screen. She got up slowly and hopped in the shower, returning fifteen minutes later to find Seth and Ryan seated in the exact same position she'd left them, but Sandy propped up on his elbows, covers still over him. He slowly turned his head to look at his wife and simply said,

"Now I remember why I hate vacations." Kirsten laughed and nodded. At home, the boys would sneak down to the den to watch cartoons, leaving their parents undisturbed. Here, Kirsten and Sandy were forced to wake early. Kirsten motivated the boys to get ready to go and soon, the whole family was dressed and ready to leave.

Once they had eaten breakfast (which really was good; the man the previous night hadn't been lying), they wandered to the brochure rack in the main foyer. Kirsten and Sandy were reading about "Al's Pancake World" and its famous Chinese food when they heard a pleasant woman's voice behind them.

"Hi, welcome to the Independence Inn. I don't believe I've seen you around here before." They turned around and came face-to-face with a woman- tall, beautiful, with brown hair and piercing blue eyes.

"Hi."

"I'm Lorelai Gilmore-Danes. I'm the manager here."

"Nice to meet you. We're the Cohens. I'm Sandy, this is my wife, Kirsten, and these are our boys, Seth and Ryan."

"Nice to meet you all." She got down to the boys' eye level and glanced at the brochure clutched in Ryan, the little blonde boy's, tiny hand, "That's Weston's bakery. They have the best cakes there. you like cake?" Both boys nodded, "Maybe you can try some. How about some dirt cake?" The boys laughed- Lorelai had a daughter, but she still knew how to deal with little boys. As the brothers shook their heads "no", Lorelai added, "You don't like chocolate?"

"No!" Ryan called.

"We love chocolate!" Seth added.

"Yeah!"

"My brother ate two whole candy bars last week!"

"Seth ate three!"

"Ryan had a glass of chocolate milk with it!"

"So did you!" Ryan shot back, angry that Seth had let their secret slip.

"It sounds delicious," Lorelai ended the siblings' argument before it got a chance to escalate. _What beautiful kids,_ she thought as she stood again.

"You're good," Sandy commented, impressed.

"I have one about their age at home." Kirsten was shocked.

"Really? You're so young!"

"Yeah." She pulled out a picture from her wallet- the posed one that she had had taken at Sears. She smiled to herself as she remembered Luke's persistent refusal to have the family picture taken, but he had caved- he couldn't refuse his Lorelais.

"Wow," Sandy was awestruck by the same blue eyes that had struck him in her mother.

"Think she might know any good places for the boys to go?"

"Sure! You doing anything the rest of the day?"

"Nope."

"Well, I'm supposed to go meet my husband... now," She checked her watch, "Rory's with him. Would you like to come along?"

"If we aren't intruding."

"Not at all."

"Then let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christopher stared at his only daughter. She was there for her twice-yearly court-ordered visit with him and the visit hadn't gone well from the start. When Lorelai had escorted her in, Rory had clung to her mother- she didn't want to stay with Chris. Then, Chris had called her "kid", which had prompted a huffy mood as she was currently going through a "girly phase". Then, he'd commented on the colors in her dress, calling them by the wrong name. No, this visit wasn't going well at all.

As Chris and Rory sat in silence, the little girl stared at the clock, counting down the minutes until one, when she could go home and say goodbye to this stranger.

At 2:01 (and thirty-six seconds, Rory noted), a knock permeated the silence. Chris reluctantly got up, regretting the way things had become with Rory. He swung open the door to reveal Luke.

"Christopher," he greeted through gritted teeth- he really did hate this guy.

"Luke," his tone was bitter, directed at the man he believed stole his wife and daughter.

"DADDY!" They heard a happy shriek behind them and Chris turned, about to answer Rory when, much to his dismay, the little girl ran right past him and into Luke's waiting arms.

"Hey! There's my beautiful girl!" He was well-aware of Rory's girly phase (and her constant pleas to change her name to Aurora) and quickly restrained himself from using his usual greeting of, "There's my beautiful daughter!" in front of Chris.

"Daddy, you're a minute and thirty-six seconds late."

"Am I? I'm sorry. I guess you'll need to fix the clocks for me at home and in the car."

"I guess I will." She smiled at him and kissed his cheek, happy to be back in the loving arms of her father, "Can we go for ice cream?"

"We're meeting mommy for dessert. We'll see what she says." Rory smiled,

"Mommy never says no to ice cream."

"I know. And that's what worries me... You have all your stuff?"

"Yes, daddy."

"Ok. Say goodbye, princess." Rory's face screwed up into a frown, as though she was about to burst out crying.

"Daddy? You're leaving me again?"

"No, no, baby. Say bye," he subtly pointed at Chris to clarify.

"Oh..." she calmed herself, "Bye."

"Bye, sweetheart. Love you." He leaned over and kissed her cheek, but she quickly pulled away. It didn't go unnoticed that she didn't return his affection.

Rory rubbed her cheek clean as Luke carried her to his truck.

"Daddy, I don't like going here."

"I know, princess. But it's only twice a year. And you should."

"How come?"

"Because he's your father," It really pained him to say it, especially since, legally, he wasn't, but he had decided early on that he wasn't going to keep her from Christopher; Luke didn't want her to resent him later in life.

"Nuh-uh. You are."

"Yeah, sweetie." He knew it was pointless to argue. She was far too much like her mother.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

A little while later, Lorelai and the Cohens entered Luke's Diner.

"Hey, Caesar. Luke here?" Caesar nodded and, without looking up from the notebook he was writing in, called out,

"Boss, it's the feds!"

"Hi, honey," Luke called from the back room as he entered the main dining area, wiping off his hands. He gave her a quick kiss.

"Hey, babe. Hey, I'd like you to meet some people. These are the Cohens. This is Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, and Ryan."

"Nice to meet you," Luke greeted, shaking hands.

"Same here," Kirsten and Sandy replied as the boys clung to their legs.

"I told them Rory could help come up with some good ideas for what to do around town. Speaking of which, where is Princess Danes?"

"Oh, I let her go over to Lane's about an hour ago. You want me to go get her?"

"No, I got it. Phone please." He passed her the phone and she dialed the number of the Kim household. Luke listened on intently- the conversations between Mrs. Danes and Mrs. Kim were always amusing. "Hello, Mrs. Kim. It's Lorelai... Lorelai Gilmore... Lorelai Danes... Gilmore-Danes... Rory's mom!... Yes, could you send her home, please... Actually, over to the diner... Yeah, why don't you send Lane along with her... Yes, I did see what Rory was wearing today... Well, yes, it's above her knees... Why, no, I did not know that... well, thank you very much... Ok... no, I'm going to wait outside and watch them walk... Ok, I'll wait outside for them... Ok, bye, Mrs. Kim," she handed the phone to Luke and buried her head in her hands. Luke hung up the phone and quickly returned to his wife, who promptly asked him, "Did you know that apparently, the Lord frowns on girls under the age of ten or over the age of fourteen who wear skirts above their knees?"

"It's a three-year time-span? Must've missed that at our weekly bible study group... Hey, if that's true, then you're in big trouble."

"No, it's different for married women. Gotta keep our men happy," She winked at him. Kirsten and Sandy both laughed while Luke looked embarrassed, and Seth and Ryan glanced at one another, confused.

"Sorry about that," Luke began a conversation with the Cohen adults and Lorelai excused herself to watch the girls cross the street.

"Hi, girls!"

"Mommy!"

"Mrs. Danes!"

"Lane, call me Lorelai."

"I will, but Momma may be listening. Shhh." She pulled her small finger to her pursed lips and looked warningly at Lorelai, who giggled and kissed each girl on the head.

"You girls hungry?"

"Yeah... can we have ice cream?"

"I never say no to ice cream."

"That's what worries daddy." Lorelai laughed again and took the girls' hands, leading them into the diner, face-to-face with the Cohen boys.

"Girls, this is Ryan and Seth Cohen. Boys, this is Rory and Lane."

"Hi," They all said shyly, moving closer to their respective best friend or brother.

"So..." Lorelai attempted to start a conversation amongst the children, "Ror, why don't you take Lane and the boys upstairs and you and Lane can show them all of your toys in your playroom upstairs."

"Ok, mommy," She said quietly, leading the way and whispering feverishly to Lane. The boys anxiously looked at their parents, who nodded, prompting the boys to follow Lane and Rory up the stairs.

Rory waited, impatiently tapping her foot until Seth and Ryan quickly and quietly moved through the door.

"This is my playroom. That's my daddy's office. I stay here after school and when I have nothing to do during the summer." Lane was in the corner of the room, looking through the very large video collection that had accumulated over the years.

"Rory, which movie do you want to watch?" Lane asked. Rory quickly thought of her parents and their constant reminders to be polite.

"Ryan, Seth, which movie do you want to watch?" The boys looked at each other quizzically and slowly got up, making their way to Rory's vast movie collection. They began to gasp, making comments to each other.

"Daddy got us this one for our birthday, Seth."

"Mommy says we can't watch this one anymore."

"Remember when we tried to act this one out?"

"This is Daddy's favorite movie."

Finally, after much debate, the boys decided on a movie.

"Yellow Submarine?" Rory asked, baffled.

"Yeah..." Ryan said shyly, "Most people have never seen it. Don't feel bad. We can pick another one."

"No, no... that's one of mine and Lane's favorites... it's just that I was surprised. No one else has ever even known that movie before."

"Our mommy and daddy love the Beatles. So do we," Seth chimed in; Rory could tell that he was the more talkative brother.

"My momma and papa only let me listen to Korean church music at home. But Rory's mommy and daddy listen to the kind of music I like," Lane added. Rory took the tape and put it in; the sound was still loud from the previous day, when the diner was busy and she couldn't hear the movie she'd been watching.

"Rory! Rory, it's too loud! Turn it down!"

"Sorry, daddy!" She called back from upstairs.

"Sorry about that. She loves that movie," Luke offered, pouring coffee cups for the group.

"No problem. In fact, the boys have never met anyone else who likes that movie."

"Neither have the girls."

"We're huge Beatles fans."

"Us, too. Rory's been singing about LSD since she was two." Everyone laughed and Lorelai reinitiated the conversation, "So, what brings you to Connecticut?"

"Oh, um..." Kirsten hesitated, but for some reason, she liked these people a lot. She had never found anyone so easy to speak to before. She allowed herself to tell them the truth, "Well, the boys don't know yet, so don't tell them, but we're considering moving here."

"Really?" Lorelai asked, excited by the prospect of a new friend, "Do you mind if I ask why? Or do you just like shoveling snow and raking leaves better than swimming and surfing?" Kirsten laughed,

"No, umm... there's a bigger reason," She paused and inhaled, ready to tell the Daneses everything. She didn't mind telling them the truth- she had been entertaining the idea that they could be lifelong friends. She just hated speaking about this, "Well, Ryan's actually adopted." Lorelai was shocked, and wasn't really sure what to say,

"Oh! Does he... know?"

"Yeah, yeah he does. He doesn't understand, but he knows. So, anyway, lately he's been having nightmares that I'm going to leave him. Like every night for a week straight. So we went to a psychiatrist to find out what it was and how we could get rid of it and he told us that it was offset by mother's recent passing away. We explained it to the boys by telling them that she had to 'go away'. But the problem was that Ryan was abandoned by his birth mother. We saw him crying because he needed his mother and then, when I held him, he stopped. And we just decided to adopt him right then and there. So, my mother dying gave him 'subconscious memories' of being abandoned. The doctor said that moving away and giving him a change of environment would make it stop." Lorelai leaned back in her chair; that was a lot of information to process.

"Wow." Kirsten smiled reassuringly; she needed Luke and Lorelai to know that she and Sandy liked them and that there was no reason to be nervous.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sure the two of you think adoption's crazy, especially since you're so young and especially since it wasn't planned... but he made our family complete." Luke and Lorelai shared a knowing look, which made Kirsten curious, "What?"

"I guess we should tell you. It's no big secret and you've told us yours... Rory's adopted."

"She IS?" Kirsten was shocked.

"But she looks exactly like you, Lorelai! You found those blue eyes somewhere else?" Luke and Lorelai were confused, then, suddenly, Lorelai understood,

"Oh, no! No, no, no! I should've been clearer. Luke adopted Rory. She's mine, I had her when I was sixteen. Then, after Luke and I got married, we decided he should adopt Rory- we have some issues with her biological dad."

"Oh, ok! That makes much more sense!"

They laughed and joked until Kirsten glanced at the clock. _5:03._

"Oh, you know what? The boys are probably getting hungry. We should go back to the inn," She turned and walked to the stairs before anyone could stop her and called out, "Seth! Ryan! Come down, please!" No answer. "Seth! Ryan! It's time to go!" Still no answer. "Seth and Ryan Cohen! I don't like that you're not listening!" After waiting a few seconds and getting no answer, she heard three people walk up behind her.

"Why don't we just go upstairs and see what they're all doing?" Luke suggested.

"Oh! Ok." He led them upstairs and into the playroom, where they found drawings strewn on the floor, crayons laying listlessly on the small Playskool table, and an episode of Rugrats playing in the background. Kirsten panicked; her fear of losing the boys had never really gone away.

"Oh my G-d! Where are they! Seth! Ryan! Rory! Lane! Where are you guys!" Luke turned and put his hand on her shoulder, fruitlessly attempting to get her to calm down.

"Kirsten, don't worry. I know where they are." He went back into the hallway and pulled open the closet door, "All You Need is Love" playing, red, blue, and green lights beginning to roll over his flannel shirt.

"Rory, I told you not to turn on your mini disco ball without asking me or mommy first. It can start a fire if you aren't careful."

"Sorry, daddy," came Rory's voice from inside the closet. Puzzled, Kirsten looked at Lorelai.

"Oh, that's Rory's hiding place. If she doesn't want to go somewhere or even if she just wants to listen to some music without being bothered she goes in there."

"Oh," She turned her attention to the medium-sized closet she was now in front of (which fit the four children easily), finding Seth and Ryan huddled in the back with Lane and Rory on either side of them, "Come, boys. It's time to go."

"No!"

"We want to stay with Rory and Lane!"

"We don't want to go back home!"

"We like Connecticut better!" Kirsten was taken aback. She didn't expect their liking of the new town to come so easily.

"Boys, you like it better here?"

"Yeah- it's pretty and there's not so much noise. Plus the people are funny. There was one guy outside wearing a tutu and handing out papers."

"That's Kirk."

"Yeah, him."

"But, boys, what about your friends? Would you miss them?"

"Who? Summer? Luke? Marissa? We like Lane and Rory better. They're funner."

"More fun, Ryan."

"That too."

"And they won't miss us, cuz they have each other!"

Kirsten glanced at Sandy; they had already discussed privately that this town was perfect for their family. Their only concern had been whether the boys would like it. Kirsten decided to take the opportunity to talk to the boys about it.

"Hey boys, mommy and I want to talk to you about something," Sandy mentioned, motioning to Seth and Ryan to come with them. The boys obeyed and sat on the couch in Rory's playroom.

"Boys, what do you think of Rory and Lane?" The Gilmore-Danes family (along with Lane) had already given them their privacy, waiting in the diner downstairs.

"They're funny!" Seth yelled excitedly.

"And cool!" Ryan chimed in.

"And they have really good music!" Seth added.

"And movies!" Ryan poked his brother, then paused, "Plus... Rory's really pretty." His parents eyed him curiously before Seth added,

"I think Lane is really pretty." Kirsten and Sandy looked from each of their sons to the other, and then to each other, finally smiling- they were starting to like girls. Early, but here it was.

"What would you guys think if you could play with Rory and Lane every day?" Seth and Ryan looked puzzled, and stared their parents in the eyes, hoping for any indication of what they may mean.

"What do you mean, daddy?"

"I mean... would you guys like to live here?" The little boys' eyes brightened, smiles spreading from ear to ear. Both nodded vigorously, calling out randomly placed shouts such as,

"Yeah!"

"This place is so cool!"

"We can play with Rory and Lane!"

"We can play at the diner every day!"

Kirsten and Sandy watched their boys excitedly discuss the prospect of their new home (and the possibility that they could live in the diner) and smiled to themselves. _I'm so glad they make things so easy for us._

The next day, they left Seth and Ryan with Rory and Lane (per their requests) and set out to look at houses (they found one within three days). They couldn't wait to live their life on 15 Kelly Road, Stars Hollow, Connecticut.


	9. Nothing a Best Friend Wouldn't Do

_A/N- Seriously. Still love the reviews... nothing has changed... oh yeah, except for the fact that between this one and the copy of the story I have posted on the OC page (same story, just posted in two different places) I have 100 reviews for this story! You guys rock my socks! Ahhh!_

_A/N 2- Ok, question time... First off, the title of the story is derived from a song from the OC mix 2 (ps can't wait till April 5th when Mix 4 comes out), which I'm obsessed with and listen to daily. It's just a nice song- the lyrics go "Hello Sunshine, come into my life. In honesty, it's been a while since we've had reason left to smile..." at the beginning some of them were miserable. Now they're happy. The title is less applicable in some senses now and more applicable in other senses now. Sunshine is happy, this story is happy (I read angst. I don't write it well.), so therefore Hello Sunshine... lol... Also, Jess comes back in a few years to live with the Daneses. But first, I want to establish the RoryRyanSethLane relationships. Then I'll bring Jess into the picture. Also, I'm going to have their high school education be the same as it was for Rory. Stars Hollow High at first, then all of them at Chilton. Yeah... so that was a really long A/N... sorry..._

_A/N 3- Also, to those of you who are saying you watch one show and not the other but you like the characters in my story, make sure you watch both shows! They are awesome and amazing and awesomely amazing!_

_Disclaimer: Still 16, Still don't want to own anything... _

Nothing A Best Friend Wouldn't Do

Rory glanced over at her two friends standing next to her, their knuckles white from the tightness of their grasp on their bookbags. She sighed and turned to Lane; they had all been taken to school together after momentary begging to which their parents easily gave in. In the six months that the Cohens had lived in Stars Hollow, Rory, Lane, Seth, and Ryan had spent practically every day together and their families had dinner together at least once a week. The previous week's dinner had been especially interesting.

The Cohens arrived at the Danes' house at 6:00, Kirsten carrying a store-bought cake in a large plastic bag. They knocked slightly before opening the door- there was no need to wait for Luke, Lorelai, and Rory to come and open the door anymore.

"Anyone home?" Sandy called as the boys pushed through the door and ran towards the kitchen and Rory's room.

"Kitchen!" Lorelai called back. They followed their children into the Danes' spacious kitchen and found Luke hunched over the stove, Lorelai hovering next to him. "Please, Luke?" She begged anxiously.

"No!" He responded gruffly, not bothering to look at his pleading wife.

"Luke, c'mon! I really want to. I promise nothing bad will happen." Luke glanced at Lorelai,

"Last time you said that I wound up at the hospital with my hands burnt. No!" Kirsten laughed and Sandy was intrigued,

"What is it now?" Luke looked at his best friend (aside from his wife, of course) and gave an exasperated sigh; at least he had Sandy to understand.

"She wants to cook."

"Again!" Lorelai pouted falsely at her friend and husband while Sandy continued, "I thought we've discussed this. The women in these families cannot cook. Luke and I cook; you guys are dangerous in the kitchen."

"Hey!" Kirsten moved and stood next to Lorelai, emulating her best friend's pout.

"You know what?" Lorelai crossed her arms over her chest.

"What?" Luke asked; he loved his wife, but there was no way he would endanger his family and friends by letting her cook.

"We like the kids better than you," Lorelai stated simply, sticking her tongue out at the men.

"We're going to be with them," Kirsten finished the thought, linking arms with Lorelai and marching towards Rory's room.

Lorelai and Kirsten opened the door to find the kids all sitting around, Rory and Seth sitting on the bed, Lane on the toy chest at the foot of the bed (she had been playing with Rory all day), and Ryan sitting on his hands on Rory's desk chair, facing his friends and brother.

"Hey, guys," Lorelai said quickly, leaning on the doorway.

"What are you doing?" Kirsten asked, waving to Lane and Rory in greeting.

"Talking," Seth said quickly, stealing a glance at Rory, who quickly returned the look and then stared quickly, pointedly at Lane, then Ryan. They had come to a child's unspoken agreement- they needed the adults out of the room right then. Rory got up; it was her job to talk to the adults.

"Ok, well, thanks for stopping by. We'll see you at dinner. Have fun with Daddy and Sandy," she tried to usher them out the door.

"Wait, Rory, we want to stay and talk to you guys," Lorelai said, gently swatting away her daughter's hand.

"No, no. It's ok. We're fine in here. Go help Daddy and Sandy."

"They're not letting us cook," explained Kirsten, prompting a celebratory "Yes!" from Seth and Ryan and a giggle from Lane. Rory grasped for a way to get the adults out of the room before blurting out,

"Mommy, Daddy's calling you!" She was exhausted from her attempts at getting her mother to understand.

"I didn't hear him."

"I did!" She looked at her friends, pleading with them to help her with her eyes. They quickly got the point and began to shout,

"Yeah, yeah!"

"Luke's calling you!"

"Kirsten, Sandy's calling you, too!" Kirsten and Lorelai got the not-so-subtle hint and reluctantly turned to leave,

"Ok, well, if you guys need anything..."

"You know where to find us," Kirsten finished her friend's thought.

"Yeah, yeah. We know where you are. Bye!" Rory shut the door behind her mother and Kirsten and turned back to her friends, collapsing against the door while rolling her eyes exaggeratedly.

Once they were sure their parents were out of the room and no longer listening to their conversation, the kids again began to discuss what they had been previously.

"So, what did he say, exactly?" Rory asked Ryan curiously.

"He just started teasing me... I don't know why. He said I was a girl because I play with you and Lane."

"So do I," mentioned Seth, pointing to himself to emphasize the point.

"Yeah, but you aren't in our class."

"Neither is Lane."

"But he can't pick on you if he doesn't know you. And he doesn't pick on girls."

"True." Lane spoke up,

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I don't want to tell my teacher, because I don't want to be a snitch. And I don't want to tell my mommy, because I don't want to be a crybaby," He paused and considered, "I think I can deal with it. It's not so bad."

"Who is this kid again?" Seth asked curiously.

"Dean... something... something like Jungle or... Beach or... Forrest or..."

"Ry, I think that's it," Rory noted.

"Forrest?"

"Forrestor."

"Maybe," He shrugged, turning slowly to the window and quietly asking, "What should I do if he doesn't stop?" The rest of the children looked nervously at one another; Ryan hated confrontation, and they all knew it well. Seth decided to try and convince his brother,

"Ry, I think you should tell mommy and daddy. They can help..." Ryan interrupted his brother with a vehement head shake,

"No. Mommy will get all worried and daddy will call the school. I can do this myself."

"Fine, fine," Seth held his hands up in defense before hearing his father's voice,

"Kids! Dinner!"

They slowly and cautiously got up and strode into the kitchen, allowing Ryan to go first. Each grabbing a plate, they helped themselves to mountains of food and made their way into the den, attempting to ignore the conversation they'd just had and the nagging fear in the backs of their minds.

Once everyone was settled on the couches and the floor of the Daneses' den, the adults turned on a not-too-distracting movie for the kids.

"So, guys, how's school?"

Rory, Seth, and Lane all glanced skeptically at Ryan; Ryan suddenly began to pick at his spaghetti.

Kirsten, noticing the children's reactions, turned to her son,

"Ry, what's going on?" Still staring at his spaghetti, he hastily answered,

"Nothing."

"Then why did Seth, Rory, and Lane all look at you when I asked how school was?" Ryan shot his friends a dirty glare and then, again, looked back at his spaghetti. He was a horrible liar, and he knew it.

"I'm fine, really. Everything's ok."

"Ryan Nicholas, don't lie to me."

"I'm not!" He looked her directly in the eye. She knew something was bothering him, but decided to drop it and ask him again later, privately. _Worse comes to worse _She thought _I'll ask Seth. Poor kid can never keep a secret._

The rest of the night had gone without incident, and the Cohen clan had returned home at ten at night, a sleeping Seth and Ryan in their arms. Sandy and Kirsten brought the boys up to their bedrooms, which were next to one another, with a door connecting the two, and tucked them in, returning to their bedroom five minutes later.

Once she had changed into pajamas, Kirsten pulled out the box of Oreos that she kept stashed in her night table drawer; she knew if she kept them in the boys' reach, they'd be devoured in mere minutes, so she gave them two cookies from the "Cookie Cave" (as Seth had titled it). She set them on the bed and sat down, bouncing a bit when Sandy plopped down beside her.

"What's the matter?" He asked, pulling apart the Oreo in his hand. He had noticed she had been acting funny since dinner.

"I'm just... worried about Ryan..." Sandy's gaze became confused,

"Why?"

"Didn't you see at dinner? All the kids gave him _that look _when I asked them how school was."

"Which look?"

"The 'there's something wrong that you don't want your parents to know, because you know how they'll react and what'll happen' look."

"That's a very verbose look."

"Sandy," She reprimanded, her eyes wandering to a photo of her and Ryan on the dresser.

"I'm sorry," He paused, deciding what to say to comfort his wife, "He's fine. If he has a problem and he needs our help, he'll let us know. He's a smart kid. They both are." Kirsten sighed,

"It's just... he has that tendency to keep all of his emotions all bottled up, and I'm afraid that one day, it'll just explode."

"He'll be fine. Don't worry."

"You know I'm going to..."

"Yeah, well, I can dream, can't I?"

Back at school on Monday, Rory couldn't help but feel nervous for her friend. The new boy, Dean, didn't make fun of her (because she was a girl), and didn't make fun of Seth (because, as Ryan had stated, he didn't know him). Ryan was in this alone, and he refused anyone's help.

After dropping off Seth and Lane in Ms. Adams' class, Kirsten and Lorelai (Sandy had to get to work in Hartford (at the Connecticut DA's office- he had been transferred from California) and Luke had to open the diner), Kirsten and Lorelai took Ryan and Rory into their classroom next door.

As Rory and Ryan said goodbye to their mothers and began to find their seats, Kirsten stopped her son,

"Ry, sweetie, come here. Let me talk to you," Ryan looked skeptically at his mother and then longingly at his seat, but he obeyed and returned to Kirsten; he knew this wasn't a conversation he was going to want to have.

"What's wrong, mommy?"

"Are you sure you're going to be ok, baby?"

"Yeah, mommy. I'll be fine. Why?"

"You just seemed... distracted this weekend. You promise me everything's ok?"

"Yeah, mommy." He quickly crossed his fingers behind his back.

"Ok, well, if you need anything, you tell the teacher or you call me. I love you."

"You too." She kissed his forehead and followed Lorelai out of the school.

As they stepped into the brisk December air, Lorelai glanced, worried, at her best friend,

"You still worried about Ryan?" Kirsten nodded and tightened her coat around her body,

"He's just... so quiet. Around strangers, I mean, and school is new for him. He has Rory and Lane but... what if there's something that's bothering him. He probably wouldn't tell anyone."

"Ryan's a great kid. If he's having a problem, he's dealing with it in his own way. He'll come to you eventually. Don't worry." Kirsten smiled weakly at her friend,

"Thanks."

"No problem. So, look... I was thinking about taking Rory shopping this weekend. Any interest in joining us?"

"Sure. Ryan and Seth have been asking to play baseball with Luke and Sandy for a while anyway." They walked the rest of the way back to the inn, where Kirsten said goodbye and left to go to her work at an architect's office.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory and Ryan stood, facing Seth and Lane on the playground.

"Red Rover, Red Rover, we call Ryan right over!" Seth and Lane called joyfully in unison. Ryan ran at them with full force and broke their hands apart easily. He jogged back to Rory and whispered in her ear. Together, they yelled,

"Red Rover, Red Rover, we call Seth right over!" Seth let go of Lane's hand and gave himself a little energy boost before lunging himself at his brother and friend. He unsuccessfully tried to break apart their arms before standing up and taking Rory's left hand (Ryan had the right). Lane looked next to her and laughed loudly,

"We need to get more friends into our group." Realizing that she was laughing about the fact that the game was now over, they all began to giggle with her.

"What do you guys wanna do now?"

"Swings!" Ryan called while Lane and Seth yelled,

"Monkey bars!"

"I actually wanna go on the monkey bars, too," Rory added, "You gonna come with us?" Ryan shook his head,

"No. I'll meet you guys later. I feel like swinging. I'll go by myself."

"Ok, bye, Ry."

"Bye, guys. See you later."

Ryan turned and made his way to the swing set, his friends and brother walking the other way, towards the jungle gym. He got up on the swing and began to pump his legs. Before long, he heard a taunting voice from behind him,

"Ryan, why aren't you wearing a dress?" He craned his neck to find Dean standing next to the swing set.

"Dean, leave me alone."

"I can't leave you alone. You're a girl, and girls need help getting off the swings. So I have to wait for you to be done."

"That doesn't make any sense. Rory and Lane always get off the swing by themselves. You're just trying to be mean."

"No, I'm right. You're just too dumb to know it because you play with girls!" At this point, Ryan had slowed down the swing and slid off, making strides towards his brother and friends at the monkey bars, intentionally not looking Dean in the eye.

"I'm not dumb!" Ryan would never fight back or call this kid names; he had been raised to never be cruel.

"You are, too. And you're a girl. And nobody likes you cuz you hang out with girls! You dumb baby girl! You're so..." Dean was cut off mid-taunt by Ryan's blonde head coming into contact with his stomach. Ryan pushed Dean to the ground and they began to wrestle. Ryan managed to keep a firm hold over Dean; Dean was a little bit taller than Ryan, but Ryan had been raised with a brother the same age, and they wrestled occasionally.

The boys wrestled and swung fists at each other for a full thirty seconds before Ryan, who was sitting on top of Dean's stomach, felt a pair of strong hands wrap around his stomach. He and Dean, who were both swinging blindly, had been picked up by two of the playground aides, Jackson and Kirk.

"Boys, inside! Now!" The principal's voice boomed at the two second-graders as Ryan began to stop flailing, though Dean continued to thrash violently.

"Kirk, are you alright?" The principal asked, watching with concern as the twenty-three year old held a tissue over his bleeding nose; he had gotten hit by one of Dean's flying fists and knocked to the ground as a result.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Mr. Wallace. Just gimme a minute. I bruise easily, but I heal quickly too. I'm like Play-doh. You can mold me all you want but then I can go right back to place."

Mr. Wallace looked at the boy and couldn't help but remember the time when he was still a teacher and Kirk had been a student at Stars Hollow Elementary. He wondered to himself if, had Kirk never been hit in the head by 64 basketballs over the course of one year, he'd be so abnormal. He hurriedly pushed the idea to the back of the mind and turned back to the second-graders in front of him.

"Now, Mr. Cohen. Mr. Forrestor. What do you two have to say for yourselves?" Dean said nothing; he only glared at Ryan, who sat stoically, staring at his shoes.

"I'm sorry," Ryan said quietly; he knew his parents wouldn't be happy about this.

"Mr. Cohen, would you care to explain your actions?" Ryan sighed, determined not to let himself cry in front of Dean.

"Dean was... teasing me. And I got mad, cuz he's been making fun of me for a few days and I didn't tell anyone cuz I didn't wanna be a snitch. And then, I just couldn't take it anymore so I hit him."

"Mr. Forrestor, is this true?"

"Yeah. I called Ryan a girl cuz he is a girl. Then he hit me." The principal nodded and sat slowly in his overstuffed desk chair.

"Boys, you both know how serious of an offense this is," they both nodded, "We will be calling your parents." Ryan looked up at him with pleading eyes,

"My daddy's gonna be really mad."

"Well, maybe you should think about that before you fight next time."

Thirty minutes later, Kirsten was at the elementary school, seated next to Ryan, while Dean's mother was seated next to him. The principal was explaining the consequences of the boys' actions,

"We request that you take the boys home now and give them some time to think before they come back tomorrow. And every day for the rest of the week, the boys will have in-for-recess," both boys groaned; in for recess was the equivalent of detention at Stars Hollow Elementary, "Now, I suggest that you boys go home and think about what you did. I do not hope to have to deal with you in this manner ever again." Both boys nodded and Dean stood up, beating a hasty retreat out the door. Ryan, however, stood slowly, inhaling deeply.

"Mr. Wallace?"

"Yes, Ryan?"

"I'm sorry." The man felt bad for disciplining the child and bent down to his level to look him in the eye,

"Ryan, you're a good boy. You've never gotten in trouble in school and you're a very good student. I don't expect to deal with you fighting ever again."

"No. Thank you." Kirsten led her son out the door and to the car. She sighed and looked down at her son, disappointment and regret evident in her eyes,

"Has he been bothering you?" Ryan nodded, "Is that why everybody was looking at you at Rory's house on Friday?" Ryan gave a smaller nod, "That's what you couldn't tell me about?" Ryan gave an even smaller nod, and then Kirsten saw him begin to shake. Ryan looked up at her for the first time since that morning, before the incident. As tears flowed over his eyelids, he said shakily,

"I'm sorry, mommy. I should've told you, but I didn't want you to worry, and I didn't want daddy to call the school, and I didn't want to be a snitch, and I thought I could deal with it on my own..." He let his voice trail off as he began to cry harder, unable to control his sobs.

"Ry, baby, it's ok about that..." She pulled him into her arms and kissed his head.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived home; they had sat, holding each other, for a full ten minutes.

"Ryan, go to your room. I'll call you when lunch is ready."

"Yes, mommy," He went to go up the stairs, but paused and reconsidered. Wordlessly, he ran to his mother and wrapped his small arms around her waist, "I love you, mommy."

"I love you, too, baby. Now go upstairs," He obeyed and Kirsten went to the kitchen, picking up the phone and dialing the familiar number.

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

"Lorelai, hey. It's Kirsten."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure. Name it."

"When you go pick up Rory from school today, could you possibly pick up Seth also?"

"Sure. No Ryan?"

"No, no. We had an... incident. I'll tell you about it later."

"All right. They'll be at the diner with Luke later. Talk to you later."

"Yeah, see you later." She hung up and sighed before dialing another number she had come to know well.

"DA's office, how can I help you?"

"Hi, can I speak to Sandy Cohen, please? This is his wife."

"Sure, just hold on one moment." As the overly-pleasant hold music came through the earpiece, she found her mind wandering to her son sitting silently, ashamed, upstairs. _He's normally such a good kid. He's not violent. Sure, sometimes he and Seth will fight one another, but it's to be expected of brothers who are the same age. What can I even do about this?_

She was jolted back to reality by the sound of her husband's voice,

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Ryan got sent home from school today."

"Is he sick?"

"No. He got into a fight."

"A fight? Like a physical punching hitting fight? _Our_ Ryan?"

"Yeah. Remember the two little boys who live down the hall from us? The blonde one."

"With who?" Sandy was incredulous; his sweet little boy never fought with anyone. He hated confrontation, and his father knew it all too well.

"Some kid... Dean something or other. Dean was teasing him for being friends with Rory and Lane and calling him a girl and one thing led to another and... Ryan hit him."

"Wow," Sandy was floored, "So... did Ryan at least win?"

"Sandy!"

"What! I just need to know if my son is a strong, good fighter! It's a man thing." Kirsten started to laugh,

"Actually, the Dean kid is, like, half a foot taller than him and Ryan still pinned him down and, had they not been separated, Ryan easily would've won."

"You just made my day and broke my day all in one conversation."

"Ok, I'm going to go talk to our little delinquent. Seth's going home with Lorelai today. He'll be at the diner."

"I was planning on picking up dinner from there anyway. I'll pick him up around five."

"Ok. Love you."

"You too. Bye."

"Bye."

A few hours later, she was laying upstairs in her bed, watching TV. Ryan had refused to leave his room the entire afternoon; he was ashamed of himself. She wondered if that was punishment enough. She heard the front door open and heard the cheerful voices of her husband and other son deep in conversation.

"No, daddy, I'm telling you- X-Men is way better than Captain Planet."

"Captain Planet wants to save the environment."

"But X-Men want to save the world."

"Seth, you live in a very small world."

"I'm not that tall yet. I get it. Gosh, you don't have to bring it up all the time." Kirsten laughed to herself as she sat up; her son and husband were almost too alike sometimes. She made her way downstairs and found Seth and Sandy setting the kitchen table.

"Hey, guys."

"Hey, mommy."

"Hey, honey." She gave Sandy a kiss on the lips and Seth a kiss on the forehead,

"Seth, did you have fun with Rory?"

"Yeah. Lane had to go home early, so it was just us. We colored and then we watched some TV and then we watched her daddy fight with Taylor. It was kinda funny."

"Taylor's silly, isn't he?"

"Yeah," the little boy giggled gleefully. His mother took his hand and led him to a chair by the kitchen table.

"Seth, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure, mommy. What's up?"

"Did you see what happened with Ryan and Dean today?" Seth nodded, a look of dread overcoming his eyes.

"It was scary, mommy. Dean was being really mean to Ryan. He kept teasing him and calling him a girl and dumb and stupid and Ryan was just taking it for a little while. But I guess being teased all this time made him really mad, cuz then Ryan just got that look in his eye- you know, the one he gets if i poke him for too long or if I call him Nicky- and he just went to beat up Dean. And Dean tried to hit back, but Ryan was too strong for him... it wasn't Ryan's fault, mommy. Dean was asking for it."

"Thanks, sweetheart. Why don't you go watch tv for a little bit in Daddy and my room. We're going to go talk to Ryan."

"Ok, mommy." He slipped off the chair and ran up the stairs, Sandy and Kirsten straying behind.

"You ready to do this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Seth's story checks out with Ryan's."

"At least he's not lying."

"No, instead he's beating kids up."

"Ehh... take what you can get." They turned in unison and made their way upstairs to Ryan's bedroom. They knocked gently before entering the small blue room.

"Ry?"

"Daddy?"

"Hey, buddy. What happened today?" Sandy asked as he and Kirsten sat down on Ryan's bed, next to him. Ryan sighed loudly,

"Dean's a jerk."

"Ryan Nicholas, language."

"Sorry... It's just... he was just... he called me a girl... for the past two weeks in school. And I just... couldn't listen to him be so mean to me anymore. So, I hit him. Cuz I didn't want to call him names... I'm sorry..."

"Ryan... we know you're sorry. We really do. But you cannot hit people. Ever. Hitting will never solve any problems, no matter how mad you get," Sandy reprimanded his son.

"I know, daddy," Ryan told him miserably.

"Ry, what I don't get is, if this kid was bothering you, why you didn't tell the teacher or me or daddy?" Ryan looked up sheepishly at his mother; he loved his father, but to be honest, he was more of a momma's boy than a daddy's boy.

"I didn't want you... to get worried... like I knew you would. And Daddy would've called the school. And the teacher would've said something to Dean and then I would be a snitch and a baby because I need my mommy and daddy and the teacher to protect me. I'm sorry."

"Ryan, stop apologizing so much. You don't need to be scared. If you're really that sorry, then just don't hit next time." Ryan nodded shyly and glanced up at his father,

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, pal?"

"What's my punishment?" Sandy looked at Kirsten and they reached an unspoken agreement.

"No punishment, buddy. I think you're sorry enough for what you've done and you're getting a big punishment at school. So we'll let this one slide, as long as it never happens again."

"It won't! I promise!"

The next day, after dropping off the children at school, Lorelai and Kirsten decided to call in late to work and go for a long walk.

"So, you never told me why Ryan was sent home early yesterday."

"Oh, right. He got into a fight with some kid at school."

"Really? Ryan Cohen? That Ryan?" Kirsten laughed at her friend's implication of her son's sweet nature and nodded,

"The kid was making fun of him and Ryan attacked him. It's apparently been going on for weeks."

"What were they fighting over?"

"Rory."

"Really? Rory? I thought that wasn't supposed to happen until they were, like, fifteen."

"Well, your daughter is very hypnotic."

"Don't tell my husband. He'll lock her up in her room until she's thirty... He's very protective of her."

"Really? I haven't noticed," Kirsten added a touch of sarcasm to her voice and Lorelai laughed in return,

"So, I could dress her up in boy clothes if you want. Make her less attractive."

"Nah, not necessary. Ryan and Seth love playing with her and Lane. It'd scare them if they changed to guys overnight."

"Duly noted."

"So... race you to the diner for breakfast?"

"Oh, you are on!" As the two grown women who were now best friends raced one another towards one of their husband's diner, Kirsten was reassured that it was going to be ok; She had her friends, husband, and two wonderful little boys. There would be some ups and downs, but that was life and she wouldn't have it any other way.


	10. Inmate 9121: Bozo The Clown

_A/N- Sorry this chapter took so long to update! Life has just been insane lately with school and work and babysitting. Also, I didn't get a chance to write yesterday because I had a Disney Day. All of my friends came over and we watched all of the old Disney movies that we haven't seen since we were kids. At one point, me and two of my friends got up on my couch and sang "Under the Sea" at the top of our lungs. It was awesome. I suggest anyone under stress try having a Disney Day- it works wonders for your soul._

_A/N 2- To all of you who say things about the way I write, thanks sooo much. I try to write well- I've always liked writing, but I've never really shared anything I've written with anyone before. So this is awesome. But the preschool teacher thing is pretty set. I love kids... probably because I still am five years old inside._

_A/N 3- My birthday is November 16th, and I couldn't resist making it Luke's also. Plus, my baby cousin got another shout-out in this chapter. (PS, Ally, I love you and you can talk to me about anything... especially about how it's really sick that you're my thirteen-year-old twin lol)_

_Disclaimer: I won't even be seventeen until November... there's not much to sue me for, Josh and Amy_

Inmate #9121- Bozo The Clown

Luke lay awake in bed on the night of November 6th, both dreading and looking forward to the next couple of weeks all at once. Tomorrow, he was spending the day at the Cohens'; it was Ryan and Seth's birthday, and hence, he, Lorelai, and Rory were the first ones on the guest list for the Power Rangers-themed birthday party. He laughed as he remembered Rory's excitement at being able to wear her "Pink Ranger" costume (The one that Lorelai took her out to buy the previous week before he was instructed to sit and watch his daughter model the outfit) to the party and sighed to himself. Rory was very into clothes lately. _She's her mother's daughter. I bet on Sunday, she'll be telling me she's old enough to drink coffee..._

He rolled his eyes as he remembered that the weekend wasn't over after Ryan and Seth's party. Exhaling with exasperation, he tried to picture what his own house would look like on Sunday. His baby girl was turning eight years old and he would be hosting almost forty people in his backyard. _Only for Rory and Lorelai. How do they know how to manipulate me like that? I specifically remember saying no more than 20. Uggggh... At least we knocked one kid off the list... _He sighed as he recalled how Ryan had gotten into a fight with a boy, Dean, the previous school year. Chuckling as he fondly looked back on Sandy's pride and Kirsten's angst about her little boy's violence, he turned off the light and lay on his side, attempting to fall asleep; Lorelai was spending the evening with Kirsten and Sookie, and she wouldn't be home until later.

As hard as he tried, he couldn't help but allow thoughts of his own birthday, which was the next Sunday, the 16th, to creep back into his mind. He was not one to enjoy giant parties; he only threw them because he knew his wife and daughter liked them. Though he constantly reminded Lorelai that,

"I don't want or need a big party. It would be enough to just be able to spend the day with you and Rory. I'm not exactly a people person... you know that better than anyone," she only smiled and told him not to worry about it.

"It's your birthday. If you don't want a big party, you won't have a big party. We can have whatever you want."

"I just want you and Rory."

"Ok. I love you."

"I love you, too." She leaned over and kissed him before scurrying away, giggling. Luke knew Lorelai well enough to know when she was planning or hiding something, and her actions sparked a plague of interest in him. He spent the better part of the next half-hour chasing Lorelai around the house in a vain attempt to get her to admit her plan.

After glancing at the picture of himself and Lorelai perched on the night table, he silently rolled over once more before falling into a deep sleep.

The next day, he awoke to the blaring alarm at eight o'clock am. After turning off the alarm, he threw his arm around his wife gently and lovingly. She snuggled into him, groggily asking,

"What time is it?"

"Eight," he whispered back, kissing her hair.

"Too early."

"Not too early. Much later than we usually get up. What time did you get in last night?"

"Late... must've been two... or three... I kissed you when I came in."

"Was that you?" She hit him lightly on the chest,

"Is Rory up?"

"I don't know. I just got up, too."

"Ok... I'll go check on her." Lorelai lay still in bed and Luke waited a beat before realizing,

"Rory's downstairs."

"I know."

"You're upstairs."

"I know."

"You said you were going to check on her."

"Hold on..." She pursed her lips and placed a pointed finger on top of them. She craned her neck in an attempt to hear better and, at the same time, she and Luke heard the noise from the TV,

"I can show you the world. Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me, princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?" Lorelai laughed- Rory's latest obsession was Aladdin, and she was watching it at every chance she got.

"How many times did you watch it last night?"

"Just once. But she watched it once and a half. By the time she got to 'A Whole New World', it was nine. So I told her she could finish watching today."

"Fight?"

"Just a bit. But then she remembered that her birthday's on Sunday. You should've seen her. 'Daddy, you bought me my presents already, right?' It was actually pretty funny."

"Well, she's her mother's daughter... We should get up... Ryan and Seth's party's at one and I promised Kirsten we'd go help out."

"Ok."

Back at the Cohens', three hours later, Ryan and Seth were running around the house like madmen. Upstairs in his room, Ryan had collected all of his Power Rangers memorabilia and created a pile as tall as himself. Watching as it tipped precariously, he screamed loudly,

"SETH! BRING YOURS IN NOW!" Kirsten, right outside of his door, winced at the noise,

"Ryan, inside voices!"

"Sorry, mommy. Could you get Seth for me, please?"

"Yeah. Hold on," Before she got the chance to find Seth, she found him stumbling out of his bedroom and barreling down the hallway towards his brother's room. Stepping in front of him, she made him stop short, his Power Rangers action figures tumbling out of his hands.

"Mom! You made me drop the White Ranger! Lord Zordon will not be pleased!" Kirsten rolled her eyes at her son before stooping to help him collect the toys,

"Seth, what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm bringing my Power Rangers toys into Ryan's room. We're going to make a show with all of them for all of our friends."

"Wait. What?" Ryan stepped out of his room to find his brother and mother crouching, picking up spilled toys.

"Seth, what's taking you so long?"

"They fell. Wait a sec."

"Boys, who's going to clean them up after you're done?"

"I don't know. We'll leave them out for everyone to play with."

"Boys, we have a million things planned today. I don't know if there'll even be enough time to just play with the toys. Plus, your toys could get stolen."

"Nuh-uh."

"Yuh-huh."

"But mommy..."

"Go put away your toys."

"I don't want to!"

"Ryan Nicholas," She reprimanded before he turned around and stomped back into his room to put away his toys.

"Mom, do I have to put away mine, too?"

"Yes, Seth. Go. Rory should be here soon." Sandy came upstairs at that exact moment,

"Where are the boys?"

"In their rooms, putting away their toys."

"Ok, good. The a-c-t-o-r-s just called. They should be here around twoish." Kirsten nodded and smiled. Her boys would be so excited come two o'clock. Just as she wondered how many kids would show up in Power Rangers costumes, she heard a knock at the front door and then the noise of the door opening.

"Anybody home?" Lorelai's voice wafted up the stairs.

"Upstairs!" Three sets of footsteps bound towards them before they saw three brunette heads.

"Hi, Kirsten. Hi, Sandy. Where's Ryan and Seth?" Rory asked, struggling under the weight of the two large presents in her arms.

"They're in their rooms, sweetheart. Do you want me to take the presents?"

"No, thank you. I want to give them to Ryan and Seth." Kirsten turned the doorknob to Ryan's room for her and she disappeared into the blue bedroom.

"You let her carry all of that?" Sandy asked incredulously.

"She wouldn't let us help her."

"How much does that weigh?"

"All in all? Probably about twenty pounds."

"That's cruel."

"She wouldn't let us help her!"

They heard a giggle and Ryan's shrieking voice come from inside his bedroom,

"SETH!"

"Ryan! What did I just say!"

"Sorry, mommy!" Seth came bounding through the hallway and raised his hand in quick greeting to Luke and Lorelai before entering Ryan's room.

"Let's go downstairs."

Three hours later, the Cohen household was abuzz with the chatter of excited children. Ten White Rangers (Including Seth), four Blue Rangers (Including Ryan), five Red Rangers, two Yellow Rangers, and Three Pink Rangers (Including Rory and Lane (Lane's mother hadn't permitted her to go out and buy a new outfit, but Lorelai had given her Rory's homemade Pink Ranger outfit from Halloween to prevent Lane from feeling left out)) ran through the backyard, a pile of colorful presents sitting listlessly on the picnic table. Suddenly, one of the children shrieked,

"THE WHITE RANGER!" Seth, Ryan, Rory, and Lane, all huddled, playing together, away from the other children, snapped their heads towards the back door in time to see actors dressed as the Power Rangers. They stood and propelled themselves to say hello.

"Where are the birthday boys- Seth and Ryan Cohen?"

"I'm Seth," Seth whispered, staring, awestruck, up at the White Ranger.

"Happy Birthday, Seth. Where's your brother?" Seth shrugged; he didn't want to take his eyes off of his hero. The White Ranger laughed, "Who here is Ryan Cohen?" Ryan raised his hand silently, "Happy Birthday, Ryan." Ryan slowly got up the courage to speak,

"How come you're at our house?"

"We came to celebrate your birthday with you."

"That's so cool!" Seth spoke up,

"It's our friend, Rory's, birthday, too, White Ranger."

"Really? Who's Rory?" Rory stepped forward, "Happy Birthday, Rory."

"It's not my birthday until tomorrow."

"Happy Birthday tomorrow, then." The children began to pull the Rangers in different directions before Kirsten's voice stopped them,

"Kids! Cake time!" The children all sat down, Seth and Ryan at the head of the table, Lane and Rory next to each of them, respectively. They all sang "Happy Birthday" before Kirsten stepped up, a pile of cards in her hands.

"Ok, everybody. We're going to play a game. We have a very large pile of Power Rangers prizes inside. We're going to see who knows Seth and Ryan the best. We're going to have two first prize winners and everyone else is going to get smaller prizes, in addition to the goodybags, so don't worry. Everybody ready?"

"Yeah!" All of the kids screamed excitedly in unison.

"Ok- first question- What is Ryan's middle name?" Rory and Lane's hands shot up, as did Lorelai's before Luke hastily pulled it back down. She giggled and nestled against his shoulder,

"I want to win the toys."

"Let the kids win the toys."

"But I don't have any Power Rangers toys."

"Borrow Rory's."

"You're no fun." He leaned down and kissed her lightly, making sure to keep it PG, "Ok, maybe you're a little bit of fun."

Across the yard, Kirsten called on Rory.

"Nicholas," Rory answered surely, glancing at Ryan.

"That is correct. One point for Rory. Next question. What is Seth's middle name?" Lane's hand shot up before anyone else's and Kirsten called on her,

"Ezekiel!" Kirsten nodded and Seth glanced at his brother and mother,

"How come he gets to be Ryan _Nicholas _while I have to be Seth _Ezekiel_?"

"Seth, we've been over this a million times. It's a good name. It was your grandfather's middle name. Ryan's is after my last name before I married daddy."

"I still don't think that's very fair." Kirsten rolled her eyes at her curly-haired son while Ryan laughed.

After ten minutes of asking questions, Kirsten announced that Rory and Lane had tied for first place (Only two other children knew any of the answers), and she brought out two Power Rangers dolls that were the size of the children themselves.

Luke groaned audibly,

"Where is that going to fit in her room?"

"Next to the Harvard shrine?"

"This should be fun."

They spent the remainder of the party opening gifts and playing party games and, before they knew it, it was time for the children to go home. Rory, Lane, Seth, and Ryan sat around for hours afterwards, playing with Seth and Ryan's new toys (including their new individual Game Boys), while the parents discussed and cleaned up.

"So, Sandy- glad you have two kids? Double the presents, double the kids," Luke asked, chuckling at his friend.

"Yeah, well, from what I hear, you're having twice as many kids at your house tomorrow. Not to mention a clown, a bouncing room, and a whole bunch of other attractions not usually seen outside of a circus." Luke's eyes widened,

"Yeah, well, good luck, cuz apparently, my wife has recruited your wife, who will be recruiting you, to help out tomorrow."

"Why do women have that power over men?" At this exact moment, Ryan and Seth came into the kitchen, pulling out two juice boxes and a box of cookies, "Boys, you honestly cannot be hungry right now, are you? You just had two slices of cake each."

"No, daddy. These aren't for us."

"Then who's it for?"

"Rory," Luke answered; his daughter had his wife's appetite.

"And Lane," Seth finished the thought before disappearing into the den, his brother trailing after him.

"Hey, you're laughing now, but your daughter's already got the same power over Ryan that our wives have over us." With a hint of panic evident in his voice, Luke answered,

"No, not my daughter. My daughter is going to be in her room until she's thirty. My daughter will never be interested in boys. My daughter will live at home until she's old and gray, because I could not deal with her kissing boys."

"Yeah, well, if she's eight and she already has that stronghold over my son, then it looks like you and I are going to be in-laws sooner than we thought."

And with that and a chuckle, Sandy stalked away to clean up the picnic table in the backyard, leaving a speechless, slightly nauseous Luke behind him.

Luke and Lorelai were awoken at 7:15 on Sunday morning. Feeling his body bounce up and down on the bed, he sleepily rolled over and glanced at the clock before hearing his daughter's voice,

"Mommy, daddy, wake up! It's time to get set up!"

"Rory, it's too early!"

"No."

"Rory, go back to sleep!"

"Not tired."

"Go watch TV."

"Nothing's on."

"Then come sleep in our bed."

"I don't want to." Lorelai gave up; she was already tired from having gotten up a little after four to go downstairs and tell Rory the story of when she was born- a tradition she had started on Rory's first birthday,

"Luke, your turn."

"Yeah, c'mon, daddy! Let's go set up!"

"Rory, mommy and I got off this weekend. We never get off of work. Let us sleep until eight. Then we'll get up and help you."

"You don't want to spend the whole day with me?" Luke kept his eyes closed tightly, refusing to look Rory in the eye; he knew he wouldn't be able to tell her "No" if she was pouting at him.

"Rory, here are your choices. You lay down with me and mommy and go back to sleep until eight, then mommy and I will get up and do what you want with you. Or you can go downstairs and watch TV and wait until mommy and I get up at eight, and then we'll do whatever you want. Or we can get up now, mommy will be cranky," Lorelai lifted her head to protest, but thought better of it and collapsed onto her pillow. Luke continued, "and then, knowing her, she'll cancel your party, there will be no clown, no balloons, and just a small, quiet party with you, e, mommy, Kirsten, Sandy, the boys, and Lane. You want that? A small party?"

Rory's eyes widened and she shook her head, hastily climbing under the covers between her parents.

At 8:35, Luke was awake and cooking breakfast in the kitchen. Rory emerged from her bedroom clad in a pink-and-black striped sleeveless dress that fell just above her knees and pink-and-black sandals to match. She moved towards the kitchen table as Luke stopped her,

"Woah, there, princess."

"Yes, daddy?" She asked, putting on her most innocent face.

"What do you think you're wearing?"

"A dress..."

"Rory..."

"Yes, father dearest?"

"Rory, don't give me that. You know as well as I do that mommy doesn't want you wearing that dress before the party."

"This is... an old dress," she lied, smiling sweetly at him.

"The tags are still on it."

"I like it. It keeps me awake when it itches my arm."

"Rory, go change."

"But daddy..."

"Rory, now." She stomped off into her bedroom and reemerged two minutes later wearing sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt.

"It's my birthday, you know," Rory told him huffily.

"Really? I had no idea! I guess it's a good thing that I made you a special breakfast today, then." Her eyes lit up,

"What kind of special breakfast?" He placed a plate in front of her piled high with strawberries and chocolate-chip pancakes that read "Happy Birthday Rory" as she beamed at him, "Thank you, daddy."

"You're welcome, princess." She stood on her chair and kissed his cheek before returning to her food.

At one o'clock, Luke watched in awe as all of the guests arrived. His backyard had been turned into a circus and there were children everywhere. A bouncing house had been set up, along with a petting zoo, face painting, and a puppet show. He smiled at his wife's enthusiasm as she addressed Kirk, who was playing the part of the clown for the day. _She never does anything halfway._

Almost three hours later, as Lorelai switched the CD, "They Say It's Your Birthday" pumping through the stereo, she felt her husband's strong arms wrap around her waist.

"She's really enjoying this," He whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, well, she only turns eight once."

"This is more like three birthday parties, though."

"Fine, then she only turns eight three times," He smiled at her playfulness while leaning in to kiss her cheek. He pulled back as she began to speak again, her voice suddenly serious, "It's just... when I was a kid, I never had a fun birthday... It was always just people I didn't know who didn't know me shoving envelopes filled with unconcerned birthday wishes addressed to Laura I. Gilmore. It was never any fun. I had a dress I wasn't allowed to move in and people I didn't really like and birthday flan."

"Birthday flan?"

"My mother didn't believe in cake," She looked him in the eye and, upon seeing his concerned gaze, smiled sweetly at him, "But that's all in the past. We're happy now. Rory's happy and you're happy and I'm happy and we have a great life. I just need to know that she's going to have an actual childhood."

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." They stole a kiss before a shriek interrupted their moment. They whipped their heads around to find the backyard in a frenzy. The adults were all screaming, running in different directions, attempting to scoop up the children, who were all standing around, confused. Animals ran in every direction; the petting zoo door had been left open and the animals had all escaped. The puppets had been abandoned in the miniature theatre. Kirk was chasing a pig around the backyard, occasionally diving in a vain attempt to catch it. In the middle of all the chaos was Ryan, Seth, Rory, and Lane, doubled over in laughter.

Kirsten and Sandy sauntered over to the couple,

"You guys really know how to throw a party." Lorelai couldn't help but laugh as she contemplated what to do. Her thought train was short-lived, however, as the Stars Hollow Police Department came bursting into the backyard.

The next few moment were a flurry of movement. The police chased down the animals and recaptured most of them, guiding them back into the pen. The parents and children hastily said their goodbyes and happy birthdays, grabbing goodybags on their way out the door. Kirk, still chasing the one elusive pig, accidentally dove into one of the officers (Officer Alexis to be more precise), and was apprehended and taken under arrest. As he was dragged away, screaming,

"I've been framed! FRAMED! THAT STUPID PIG!", Lorelai made her way over to Rory,

"Hey, baby, I'm sorry your party got a little bit cut short." Rory, to Lorelai's surprise, laughed in response,

"That's ok, mommy. Actually, this was a really really funny birthday present. Can we do this every year?"

"We'll see, sweetheart."

The following Sunday night, Luke returned home from work, his arm around Lorelai's waist. She had spent the day at the diner with him while Rory was at Sandy and Kirsten's. As they approached the house, Luke noticed Lorelai becoming increasingly giggly,

"Oh, no. What did you do? Do I have Kirk waiting for me dressed up as a magician at home?"

"What? No!" She paused for a second, "He's dressed up as a hot dog. To remind you of the diner."

"Lorelai!"

"I'm kidding! No, Kirk is not waiting for you at home, I promise."

"Good. Cuz then, I might have to divorce you."

"You couldn't divorce me. It's your birthday."

"Do I get a birthday kiss?" He asked as they made their ascent up the stairs on the front porch. She nodded mischievously and leaned in, kissing him lovingly and passionately. They were interrupted by Sandy's voice,

"Can you two stay off of each other for, like, two seconds? Your kid is inside!" Their eyes shot to the front door, where Kirsten, Sandy, Seth, Ryan, and Rory all stood, cone-shaped birthday hats atop their heads.

"What in the world?" Luke asked, breathless. To his surprise, they all shouted,

"Happy birthday!" Lorelai began to giggle,

"It's a surprise party. We set it up. I know you said you wanted just me and Rory, but I figured you wouldn't mind Sandy, Kirsten, and the boys. There's dinner waiting inside." He smiled at her and leaned in for a quick kiss,

"You're the best."

"You're the birthday boy."

"Happy birthday to me... You promise no cops this week?" Lorelai stared seriously at him,

"Scout's honor."


	11. Life, Family, and the World Unknown

_A/N- Thanks to all of my reviewers! I know it was a lot of birthdays, but I was on a roll with the theme. I'm surprised no one got the reference. At least not the GG fans. In the first season ep "Rory's Birthday Parties", Rory talks about how at her eighth birthday party, the cops shut them down and arrested the clown. That just sparked my imagination and ran with it. _

_A/N 2- Next chapter (Not this one, the one that should be posted next week) brings a new face to Stars Hollow who has been asked for. Can you wait and see? Also, some familiar faces pop up in this chapter. See if you can spot them lol._

_A/N 3- Shoutz to my baby cousin and a little note to the readers of _The Way We Get By, _it might be a little while before it's updated again. We both have a lot of stuff going on in our lives, so bear with us if it takes a bit. Sorry! We're trying!_

_Disclaimer: I'm supposed to babysit in ten minutes- that's my main source of income._

Life, Family, and the World Unknown

"All in favor?" Hands shot into the air, "All opposed?" Fewer hands shot into the air, "Let the record reflect it, in favor of the motion... On to the next order of business. Ahh... yes... Now, with the first snow of the season fast approaching," Taylor began to explain.

"Jason Mansfield on Channel four said five days before snow."

"No, it's two days," Lorelai matter-of-factly corrected Andrew.

"What channel do you watch?"

"I don't. It's going to be two days."

"She dragged me out of bed at three this morning and opened all of the windows in the den. She'd better be right," Luke yawned as his wife glared at him. He quickly added, "She usually is." Rory giggled at her parents and leaned over to Ryan and Seth,

"I can smell it, too. She's right."

"As I was saying," Taylor calmed the crowd, "with the first snow of the season fast approaching, the reenactment is also coming up."

"I won't go!" An old man in the front row yelled stubbornly.

"It's not what you want, Maurice. It's what's best for the town."

"I can still do it!"

"Nonsense!"

"Anyone else feel like he should be saying 'I'm getting better!' and singing 'I feel happy'?" Lorelai whispered to anyone who'd listen. Rory giggled back,

"I almost want Taylor to say 'No, you're not. You'll be stone-dead in a moment'." Luke rolled his eyes at his wife and daughter as Sandy asked quietly,

"How do they fit Monty Python into every conversation?"

"It's a finely honed skill. Comes from seeing Holy Grail seventy-five times." They turned their attention back to the meeting. Lorelai couldn't resist,

"Get on with it, Taylor!" He nodded at her as she and Rory collapsed into fitful giggles, offset by his Python ignorance.

"Ok, so, as we all know, the reenactment's coming up, and we have one member of the reenactors who has reached an age where he would be... a hindrance... to the reenactment process." A wave of recognition spread over the crowd's faces,

"Wait, Taylor, you want to kick out Mr. Harburg?"

"I don't think I'm kicking him out. I believe I'm just... encouraging the forward movement of the reenactment."

"It's a reenactment, Taylor. It's not supposed to move forward. It's supposed to be the same thing every year."

"You watch yourself, Sandy. You've been on thin ice since your son shouted that dirty word at the council earlier."

"Which one?"

"Seth."

"Seth has a cold! He was sneezing!"

"In the words of your son..." He trailed off, his voice implying the next word.

"He said Uhh-shiii!"

"Again." Seth interjected,

"Taylor, trust me. I didn't curse. Your theory, however, is bullshi..."

"Seth Ezekiel!"

"Sorry, mom."

"Moving on from this ridiculous notion, I would like to put to a vote the motion to impeach Maurice Harburg from his place on the reenactment committee."

"What? Taylor, that's ridiculous! You can't impeach him! He's been doing the reenactment for almost seventy years!"

"Yeah, Taylor, even for you, this is pretty low," Patty added.

"It is not low. The man is eighty-two years old. He can barely walk."

"So give him your job, Taylor!" Babette suggested.

"MY job?"

"Yeah, Taylor. Isn't it your job to sit there and yell? You get a chair. You get to sit. Trade jobs with Mr. Harburg!"

"Sandy, you don't participate in the reenactment, you shouldn't be judging."

"But it's ok if I vote on kicking out Mr. Harburg? You just don't want me voting if I don't vote your way!"

"Yeah, go Dad!" Ryan called from his seat between his mother and brother.

"Power to the people, son."

"Hang tight."

"All right."

"Can we please leave this bizarre transgression behind?" Taylor interrupted the amusing exchange between father and son; the rest of the town seemed to be enjoying it.

"Fine, Taylor. Put it to a vote."

"All in favor of enhancing the reenactment?" Three hands were visible in the air, "All opposed to progress?"

"Oh, c'mon, Taylor! I hate this stupid reenactment and I still don't think that's fair," Luke protested from his seat; Lorelai had convinced him to go with her while he was still hazy with sleep. He instantly regretted the choice, but never went back on his word.

"Luke, you know, you're a legacy. Your father was a reenactor. You could very easily get the open spot in the reenactment."

"Taylor, have you ever seen me mention or consider or even enjoy the reenactment at all? Even as a child?"

"No, but I thought that your wife's apparent enthusiasm for town events would rub off on you."

"My wife is my wife. If I let everything she did rub off on me, I'd be a coffee-addicted, movie-obsessed, junk food-eating maniac."

"But at least you'd sleep in the bedroom rather than on the couch," Lorelai muttered under her breath.

"I meant it in the most adoring way possible."

"Yeah, right."

"I love you."

"I'm sorry. Who are you? That nice man who sleeps in my den?" He leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Slowly but surely making your way back in."

"Well, what do you say, Luke?"

"He can't," Lorelai stated simply.

"The reason being?"

"We have my parents' annual Christmas party on Saturday night."

"It's not supposed to snow until Monday or Tuesday."

"The nose knows. Mark my words- Saturday morning at..."

"Around midnight," Rory projected.

"Between midnight and one. You're still young. You have time to hone your skills... In any case, he's accompanying me to Hartford for the Christmas party."

"Fine... all those in favor of allowing Mr. Harburg to stay?" Dozens of hands flooded the air above their heads. Taylor sighed audibly, "Let the record show that the nays have it, thanks to the unprogressive, uneducated masses. Meeting adjourned."

"Mom, I'm going outside with Seth and Ryan, ok?"

"Ok, sweets. Just don't wander away." As the three nine-year-olds made their way out the door of Miss Patty's dance studio, Lorelai and Kirsten became immersed in conversation, and Sandy teased Luke,

"Party at the in-laws? You'd better have a Tylenol in your pocket and a flask in your coat."

"Yeah, well, if I'm not mistaken, you'll be coming with me."

"What?"

"See them talking over there?" He motioned to Kirsten and Lorelai, chattering excitedly in the corner, "Lorelai is telling Kirsten how much Rory would enjoy having the boys come with her. Now, Kirsten is telling Lorelai that it's a good idea. Lorelai's asking Kirsten what you're doing Saturday night, and since you spend most Saturday nights with us, I assume the answer is 'nothing'. Lorelai now invites Kirsten to tag along on Saturday to keep her company. Kirsten accepts and you are dragged down into the Hartford party scene right alongside me, pal." At that exact moment, Kirsten and Lorelai returned to their husbands,

"Honey, we're going to go to Lorelai's parents' thing on Saturday." Incredulously, Sandy glanced at a smugly-grinning Luke, defeated.

"Ok. Let's go find the kids."

They wandered outside and scanned the yard for two brunette heads and one blonde head. Upon discovering their children situated near the stairs, they glanced over next to them to find a gray head nodding encouragingly at them.

"TAYLOR!" Taylor looked up, shocked,

"Luke, there's no need to scream."

"Taylor, get the hell away from my kid!"

"Luke, you should be proud of Rory." Rory met his eyes and gave him a questioning glance.

"Did you say no to Taylor?" Rory nodded, "Then I am. Expect a present."

"Honestly, Luke. I was just asking the children if they'd like to be the narrators in the reenactment."

"No kid of mine is going to be involved in the reenactment."

"Her grandfather was."

"Her grandfather was a great man, but he was a head case." Sensing that this wasn't going to end anywhere pleasant, Rory interjected with a fake yawn,

"Dad, can we go home? I have school in the morning."

"What? Ok... Yeah, let's go."

"Children, think about what I asked you!" A little perturbed, Sandy leaned over to Seth,

"What did he ask you?"

"If we could enunciate."

"Are you serious?"

"The year," Seth started.

"Seventeen Seventy-Nine," Ryan and Rory said together.

"The location."

"Stars Hollow."

"I'll give you guys five bucks each if you never do that again. It's creepy and very nineteen-fifties horror movie."

"Deal." He pulled out his wallet and three five dollar bills and handed them to the kids, two of whom ran ahead.

"Mom, can we sleep at Rory's tomorrow night?" Ryan asked, folding the five-dollar bill and placing it haphazardly in his pocket.

"If it's ok with Luke and Lorelai, sure."

"Of course it is."

"Thank you. Hey, Seth! Rory! They said yes!" He excitedly sprinted towards them as Luke asked,

"How are they not sick of each other yet?"

"Ryan and Seth? They're brothers. They have to live with each other forever. They can't afford to get sick of each other."

"Sandy, you're a laugh riot."

"They're best friends," Kirsten mused.

"And boyfriend and girlfriend," Lorelai giggled.

"WHAT?"

"Please, Luke. Don't be blind."

"Ryan and Rory sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"Lorelai, you're being childish."

"And realistic."

By the time they got home, it was close to 9 o'clock, and Rory retired to her room to read before going to sleep, bidding her parents a goodnight. Luke laid down on the couch and Lorelai laid down with him, cuddling into his flannel shirt. He kissed her hair and rubbed her arm as they watched something inane on NBC's Must-See TV Thursday. At 10:00, they decided to shut the downstairs TV and go watch in their bedroom.

"They lied," Lorelai grunted as they stretched, helping each other off the couch.

"Who did?"

"The NBC people. That was not must-see. The only must-see is Friends, and even that's not really a must-see because I missed it tonight and I'm still alive. There was no necessity to it."

"You need sleep."

"You switched my coffee today."

"And you didn't notice."

"I did. I was just too tired to argue."

"I'm going to go check on Rory. I'll be up in a minute."

He entered Rory's room to find her reading light perched next to her bed shining somewhat brightly, Rory nestled comfortably under the covers, her eyes closed, her breathing steady, a copy of _Anne of Green Gables _sitting loosely in her grip. He grinned to himself; she loved to fall asleep while reading. Quietly tip-toeing over to her bed, he gently tugged at the book, taking it out of her hands and placing a bookmark where she had been. Leaning over to shut her light, he gently placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Dad?" She asked in her sleep.

"Yeah, princess. Go back to sleep."

"Ok. Night, daddy."

"Night, princess."

"Love you."

"You too."

Two days later, Luke sat, fully dressed for the party on the couch in the den. He peeled his eyes away from the TV and glanced out the window at the fresh blanket of snow on the ground outside. At 12:52 am, he had been awoken by Lorelai shaking his shoulder.

"It's snowing."

"It's what?"

"It's snowing. Get your shoes on. Let's go outside."

"Lorelai!"

"Luke!"

"You want me to go outside at one in the morning in the middle of December because you think it's snowing, even though you can't even see out the window."

"Yes."

"What makes you think I want to go outside?"

"You love me and I gave you a daughter you love more than yourself."

"What have you done for me lately?"

"Fine. Don't come. Rory and I will go outside by ourselves, then maybe we'll get kidnapped and you will have no wife and no daughter and all because you didn't want to come outside to be with us." Luke groaned audibly,

"Don't think guilt is going to work every time."

"I could never think that." She pulled him out of bed and down the stairs, where she found Rory, Seth, and Ryan piling, bundled in coats and mittens, out of her room, Rory looking excited and Seth and Ryan looking grumpy.

"First snow!" Lorelai giggled to her daughter, throwing her arm over her shoulder.

"You smelled it too?" She snaked her arm around her mother's waist and hugged her tightly.

"Hello, the nose." They led each other out the door, Luke and the boys lingering behind.

"Rory woke us up." Ryan glared at Luke.

"You really need to discipline that girl." Seth finished.

"Yeah, well, she's her mother's daughter. Lorelai woke me up, too."

"I don't understand her sometimes."

"Yeah, well, you'll never understand women. Especially not my daughter. Gotta get used to it."

"We don't want to get used to it."

"We want to go back to sleep."

"Do you two always finish each others' thoughts?"

"Yes," They said simultaneously.

"Brother thing?"

"Brother thing."

Stepping out into the snow, they watched Rory and Lorelai dancing through the powder in the front yard. Lorelai skipped happily to Luke and pulled him out into the yard.

"I love you," she whispered.

"Me or the snow?"

"The snow, of course." He grinned at her,

"I love you, too." They leaned into each other and kissed sweetly. Soon, they were interrupted by a loud,

"Ewww!" They looked up and found Rory, her eyes covered by Seth and Ryan, who were glaring at the couple.

"Your child is right here!"

"How much is your mother going to kill me if you two get sick?" Lorelai asked.

"The words 'Machine Gun' and 'Poison' come to mind."

"Kids, inside."

"But, mom!"

"Rory, the snow will be here tomorrow. Inside."

"Fine."

The next day, Lorelai and Rory had gone for their annual first-snow-of-the-year and were now running later than expected.

Luke's head shot towards the bathroom door and he saw his daughter, dressed in a black spaghetti-strap dress decorated with jewels at the neck and hem, walking towards him. He smiled at her as she approached- a smile which evaporated when her face came into clearer view.

"Rory?"

"Yeah, dad?"

"What's on your face?"

"Makeup."

"How much?"

"Not much."

"Not true." She was covered in bright blue eyeshadow that seemed painted on, bright pink circles for cheeks, and bright red lips (and the area surrounding them).

"Daddy, you don't like my makeup?"

"LORELAI!" Lorelai came running down the stairs in a panic,

"What? What? What's going on?"

"Look at Rory's face."

"What's... Oh, sweets, were you playing with my makeup?"

"I was not playing. I was putting it on for tonight."

"Rory, come upstairs to daddy and my bathroom."

Fifteen minutes later, Rory's face was clean as she pouted at her mother,

"Why won't dad let me wear makeup?"

"Sweets, he's just trying to protect you, like he always does."

"I don't need to be so protected. I'm nine."

"Exactly. To you, you're nine. You're almost a preteen. You're a big kid. But to daddy, you're still that little girl," She told her, motioning to the picture of Luke and Rory on the dresser, "When daddy looks at you, he still sees the little four-year-old who danced on his shoes at our wedding. Daddy loves you so much, kiddo. You know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"Now, let's be honest here. Who's your best friend?"

"You."

"And then?"

"Ryan, Seth, and Lane."

"But are you more of a momma's girl or a daddy's girl?"

"I guess... a daddy's girl..."

"Exactly. You and I are best friends. But he's your daddy. And NOBODY loves you the way he does. He just wants to make sure you still have your childhood. Don't try and grow up too fast. It makes daddy nervous because you're still his little girl. Keep it slow, ok?" Rory stared at the floor, carefully avoiding her mother's gaze,

"Ok, mom."

An hour later, the Danes and Cohen families pulled up to the massive house in Hartford. Ryan shuddered as he took in the impressive sight in front of him.

"Ry, honey, are you ok?" Kirsten asked, concerned about his unusual nervous state.

"What? Yeah, mom. I'm fine." Ryan shook his head, attempting to shake the unfamiliar feeling of unease and nervousness.

"You feel alright? You look a little pale."

"Mom, I'm fine."

"C'mere. Let me feel your forehead."

"DAD!"

"Kirsten, leave him alone. If he says he's fine, he's fine."

"Thanks, dad," He shot his father an appreciative smile and ran off to meet Rory, who was now sliding out of her parents' car.

"Sandy, I don't like the way he's acting."

"Meaning?"

"This is very similar to the Newport scene. What if it reminds him of his grandmother and he can't sleep tonight?"

"Sweetheart, he was five. He's nine now. Odds are, he doesn't even remember much before we moved to Stars Hollow. Who's to say he'll remember that parties like this remind him of his grandma?"

"It's subconscious, Sandy. I just don't want him hurt."

"He'll be fine."

"And if he's not?"

"Then we'll stay up with him all night." He wrapped his arms around his wife and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. Smiling, they moved towards the rest of the "Kelly Road Posse", as Seth had, in one of his overtired splendors, named them.

"You ready to meet the Gilmores?" Lorelai questioned Kirsten and Sandy, taking a hold of Luke and Rory's hands.

"Ah, Lorelai, you forget. We lived in Newport for almost five years. We've been to these kind of parties."

"Of course. How could I forget?" Lorelai joked as they approached the front door. They inhaled collectively before Luke reached out and rang the doorbell, then placing his hand protectively on Rory's shoulder. They heard the scurry of footsteps before the door opened slowly. Emily greeted them,

"Lorelai, Rory, hello!" Her tone slightly colder, she turned to Luke, "Hello, Luke."

"Emily," He nodded in greeting, instinctively pulling Rory towards himself and Lorelai. For the first time, she noticed a family standing quietly behind her daughter and her family. She decided that the group- a blonde woman who looked to be a few years older than Lorelai, a brunette man who seemed to be in his early thirties, his curly hair flying in all directions, and two children, about Rory's age, one blonde, the other with hair like his father's- must have been friends of Lorelai's.

"I don't believe we've met before."

"Oh, mom, these are the Cohens. This is Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, and Ryan. They're our neighbors. We spend practically every weekend together."

"How nice. You know, Lorelai, it's rude to bring extra guests unannounced."

"You don't have enough surprises in your life. We thought we'd make you sweat a bit."

"Come in."

They entered the party to find it swarming with people Lorelai either knew and couldn't remember, or didn't know (though they'd certainly remember her).

"There's a children's room up in your old playroom, Lorelai. The children can go there." Lorelai nodded and met Rory's eye.

"You remember where that is, sweets?" Rory nodded. Lorelai winked at her daughter, "Ok, if you need anything, just yell for dad, Kirsten, Sandy, or me. Just remember that you're not banished to there. You can come out and be with us if you want."

"Mom, I'll be fine. I have your blood in me, after all. You survived for sixteen years, why shouldn't I?"

"That's my cynical girl." Rory laughed and led the boys upstairs, taking them each by the hand.

"So this is a Hartford party?" Sandy asked, making his way to the bar.

"This is a Hartford party," She eyed a little girl wearing a frilly pink dress and high heels that she couldn't move in, "I swear, I had that exact dress."

"Me too," Kirsten interjected.

"Did your mother make you sit down like 'a proper young lady' and sip tea?"

"No, my father did. My mother used to sneak me cookies and let me wear jeans underneath the dresses." Lorelai laughed, noticing that Luke hadn't said anything,

"Luke, are you okay?"

"I just hate these things..."

"Just remember it's getting you out of the reenactment."

"And it's annoying the hell out of Taylor," Sandy added.

"That's what's sustaining me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upstairs in the play area, the three best friends were glancing around skeptically,

"You know, when I first met you, I remember thinking, Rory will never lead us to a bad playroom. She knows too much about how to have fun," Seth told her sarcastically.

"But, obviously, you did not get your fun gene from your grandparents. These toys suck," Ryan contributed, eyeing the Legos, a broken Ms. Pac Man machine, teddy bears, and seven Furbies lying on the ground, all mumbling something about "Doo-Waah!", with one dancing to the music in his own mind, "Do do DOO, Do do DOO!".

"Your mother would kill you if she heard you say that."

"My mother's downstairs."

"True," Rory stated thoughtlessly, scanning the room before making her way over to a pile of Pogs located in the corner.

They sat down and began to play the game to the best of their abilities, making up their own rules along the way. When a shadow overcame their game, though, they were interrupted.

"Can I help you?" Seth asked, mildly annoyed at the interruption in the game.

"My friends and I just wanted to know if you'd like to join us in a game," The boy, who appeared to be one of the leaders, asked. Seth, Ryan, and Rory took in the group. It consisted of three girls their age and four boys their age. Two of the boys were blonde, and almost looked as though they could be brothers. One of the boys was darker, and another- a shorter boy- looked as though he was the tagalong in the group. Of the girls, two were blonde- one naturally and one dyed. One of the blonde girls stood there, looking bored, the other looking angry. The third girl had brunette curls cascading towards her shoulders; she stood there staring stupidly at Seth, Ryan, and Rory.

"Ummm... no thanks. We're happy just playing Pogs."

"What are you, scared?"

"No, just content."

"Who are you, anyway?" Rory was taken aback by the two blonde boys' gall; they were taking turns insinuating her and her friends.

"I'm Rory Gilmore-Danes. My grandparents are the ones holding this party. This is Seth and Ryan Cohen. They're my best friends, so you'd better watch yourself with them."

"Well, Princess Rory..."

"Only her dad calls her that," Ryan interrupted, quieting down after receiving a death glare from Rory.

"Well, Mary," One of the blonde boys attempted to start again.

"It's Rory."

"It sounds like 'Mary'. I've heard the name 'Mary'. I'm calling you 'Mary'. I'm Tristan."

"And I'm Logan. This is Finn," He pointed to the darker boy, "Colin," the tagalong, "Madeline," The stupid brunette, "Louise," The bored blonde, "And..." He was cut off by the other girl,

"Paris. Geller. I don't need you to introduce me, Logan."

"Get over it, Paris." Ryan, Seth, and Rory glanced at each other. This was going to be a long night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Downstairs, the adults were huddled in the corner, whispering to each other and mocking the people around them.

"Look at that guy over there, with the gray hair. Thinks he's so high and mighty. Bet twenty bucks that he doesn't actually like that guy he's talking to. He's just making pleasant conversation." Kirsten eyed the guy, and the blonde man he was talking to, while talking to Sandy; the blonde looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place him. Taking a sip of her drink as the man turned around, she almost choked on the burning liquid sliding down her throat, "DAD!" The man turned around and smiled at his daughter,

"Kiki! What a pleasant surprise! I didn't know you knew the Gilmores!" He hugged Kirsten in what he considered to be a warm embrace.

"I don't, dad. I'm good friends with their daughter and her family."

"You know Rory?" The blonde man asked; he couldn't help overhearing.

"Yeah, why?"

"I'm Christopher. I'm sure you've heard a lot about me."

"Oh... definitely." She glanced at Sandy; he knew what she was saying _Go find Lorelai and Luke and warn them._ He moved to go find their friends, who had wandered to refresh their drinks, but before he could, he found them walking towards him.

"Christopher," Lorelai breathed, stopping dead in her tracks.

"You have to be kidding me. Could this night get worse?" They heard Kirsten call the gray man in front of her "Dad" and Lorelai sighed,

"Yes."

xxxxxxxxxx

In the playroom, Ryan and one of the blonde boys- he couldn't which was which- were standing nose-to-nose,

"Take it back."

"No."

"Take it back!"

"No."

"You're not going to be happy if you don't."

"Then let me be miserable."

xxxxxxxxxx

Luke and Christopher stood defensively; they had only seen each other occasionally over the past five years and none of the incidences had been pleasant. Lorelai held Luke's arm in a bland attempt at calming him. Kirsten leaned into Sandy while speaking to her father, begging Sandy to protect her with her body. He held his arms strongly around her, occasionally playing with her hair.

"So, Dad, how's Hailey?" It was as neutral a topic as any. She didn't want to go into the fact that her father hadn't called in nearly six months, or that every time she called him, he was busy and promised to call her back. Or the fact that for the boys' birthday, he had sent ten dollars to each of them in a card purchased by his secretary (She could tell because Caleb had a vague idea of his grandsons' age; the cards had been addressed "To Brian" on a card that read "Happy fourth birthday, grandson" and "To Beth" on a card that read "World's greatest granddaughter". Seth had actually found it amusing and hung it up on the door to his bedroom.). Or the fact that he no longer bothered to call on birthdays and holidays.

"Hailey's just fine, Kiki. She's working in Jamaica as a Jenny Craig instructor." Kirsten nodded; she knew it wasn't true, but her father was blind enough to accept the excuse. She waited a beat before telling him,

"The boys are fine, too. They're in fourth grade now. Straight-A students, both of them. Not that you care."

"Of course I care. They're my grandsons. I think very highly of them."

"Don't think very highly of them, dad. Call them. Let them know that you care about them. Send birthday cards to them, not Beth and Brian. Their names are Seth and Ryan, in case you've forgotten since the last time you spoke to them."

"Kirsten, you know I care about the boys."

"Then show it."

Next to them, a similar exchange was occurring.

"So how's my daughter?" Chris asked; he was almost asking for controversy.

"Well, Luke and I went to parents' day at school last week. Rory made Luke a plaque that said 'World's Best Dad'," Lorelai pointedly told Christopher.

"You know I'm still her father," Chris added, a mix of nonchalance and threat evident in his voice.

"Not legally and not emotionally," Lorelai told him. Luke was decidedly glaring at the man. He was about to tell him off when he heard his daughter's distressed cries,

"DADDY!"

xxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, they were in the hospital. Emily had sent off the guests and Caleb had said a hasty goodbye before rushing off to his next meeting. Luke and Lorelai had ridden in the ambulance with Rory, Sandy, Kirsten, Seth, and Ryan trailing them. Christopher had attempted to ride along but had been sent away by a concerned Richard, who had been much more of a presence in Lorelai's life since the wedding. He had monthly lunches with her at the inn where she worked and spent days with Rory. Though Chris protested, Richard towered over him and told him in a no-nonsense way that there was no way he was going to hurt Rory any more that night.

Luke and Lorelai had disappeared into Rory's room and Sandy had gone off to find coffee for himself and his friends. Seth and Ryan sat, visibly shaken, in the corner. Kirsten rubbed their backs, attempting to console them.

"Rory was CRYING, mom," Ryan finally blurted out.

"Rory _never_ cries," Seth finished.

"There was that one time when she lost the encklace that her dad gave her."

"Her locket?" Kirsten asked; this was the first she'd heard of the story. Rory cherished that locket more than anything; she must've been a mess.

"Is that the one with the picture?"

"Yes."

"Then that's the one."

"That was the only time she cried, though."

"Not even when she fell off her bike."

"Into the sticker bushes."

"And rolled onto the concrete."

"What exactly happened tonight, boys?"

"One of those kids..."

"Tristan or Logan or... Colin or... Finn... their parents need new last letters," Ryan mumbled.

"So, one of them- one of the blonde boys- started to make fun of Rory."

"And I told them to leave her alone, so he started to make fun of me."

"Then I went in and told everybody to relax."

"And then, he called Seth a loser, mom, and he pushed him and I couldn't take people doing that to my brother or my best friend, so I hit him."

"And that was when Rory jumped in. She got pushed and she fell and hit her arm and there was this really loud crack," Seth winced at the memory and his mother tenderly kissed his forehead.

"Rory's gonna be ok, right, mom?"

"Yeah, I'm sure she'll be fine."

Luke and Lorelai reentered the room; Luke, though still worried, appeared more relaxed. Lorelai rested comfortably in the crook of his arm, which was wrapped protectively around her.

"How is she?" Kirsten asked anxiously.

"She'll be fine," Lorelai breathed.

"Minor hairline fracture in her right arm. It'll take a few weeks and a cast, but she'll be good as new," Luke visibly inhaled, possibly for the first time comfortably in hours.

"Good, that's wonderful news. Isn't that great, boys?" The boys both nodded, their eyes glued to the floor.

"Luke? Lorelai?" Ryan asked sheepishly.

"Yeah, Ryan?"

"I'm sorry."

"Me, too," projected Seth.

"For what, boys?"

"We got into the fight."

"We made Rory get hurt. We're really sorry."

"We'll never fight again."

"Boys, you didn't hurt Rory. You were trying to protect her and then she tried to protect you. It's what friends do. Rory will be fine. Don't worry," Lorelai told them, adding, "You're her best friends. She'd be lost without you guys."

"Us too."

That night, Lorelai and Luke lay in Rory's room, falling asleep, despite her protests against it.

"Well, tonight was interesting," Lorelai whispered, glancing at Rory's bright pink cast sitting lazily on top of her comforter.

"You can say that again."

"Well, tonight was..."

"It's a figure of speech."

"Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad we have good friends."

"Me, too."

"I love you."

"You too."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."


	12. Preliminary Prevention

_A/N- Thanks to all of my reviewers! You guys are awesome and amazing and awesomely amazing! Haha everybody always yells at me for saying that... So, yeah... this chapter is long-awaited. You will find out why if you read on!_

_A/N 2- Questions! Rory already knows that Luke adopted her. There's one chapter- Age five, I believe it is- the year after Luke and Lorelai get married, but the year before the Cohens move to Connecticut, where I typed up the adoption proceedings. She goes for twice-yearly visits with Christopher upon Luke's insistence, because Luke doesn't want Rory to resent him for keeping her from Chris when she grows up. Also, I didn't mean for Finn to be a bad guy. Sometimes I tweak the characters to make them fit the scenes. Just remember that they're still kids, and kids can be cruel. Plus, I'm glad you all got the reference to Rory's birthday party... man, that scene was fun to write._

_Dedicated to Ally again, because at nine this morning we were making a scrapbook for our other cousin's bat mitzvah, and she kept getting really sad when she remembered we weren't two anymore while looking through the pictures._

_Disclaimer: I have to put this in every chapter? Nothing has changed since last week._

Preliminary Prevention

"Mom, what are 'Satan's Hell Dogs'?" 10-year-old Rory asked her mother from her seat across the table in her father's diner, sipping eagerly at her mother's coffee.

"What? Rory, what in the world are you talking about?"

"Mrs. Kim. She told me that Satan's Hell Dogs are going to eat Ryan and Seth if they 'try anything with me'. The whole experience was a little weird."

"Well, that's Mrs. Kim for you. It's just her way of cursing Seth and Ryan."

"Oh... Hell Dogs is a cool band name."

"Definitely."

Luke approached the girls' table, kissing Lorelai's lips and Rory's forehead and sitting backwards on a chair.

"What's going on?"

"Ryan and Seth are going to be eaten by Hell Dogs."

"Oh. Send Sandy and Kirsten my condolences." He'd been living with Lorelai and Rory for far too long to ever miss a beat.

"Dad, did I leave my copy of _The Crucible _upstairs?" Luke smiled; people always thought his daughter read a lot, but he was intrigued by her love of literature. Not every child could read _The Crucible _at ten.

"Yeah, it's on the couch in my office."

"Ok. I'm going to run upstairs and get a few things." She got up and went upstairs, leaving Lorelai to lean in to kiss her husband. He eagerly kissed back for a few seconds before reluctantly pulling away.

"I wanted to do that before, but Rory hates it when we kiss like that."

"We feed, clothe, and house her. She could deal." As they leaned in for another kiss, they heard Caesar call out,

"Boss! Phone!"

"Take a message, I'll call them back!"

"It's a woman, boss! Says it's an emergency!"

"A woman?" Luke repeated as Lorelai eyed him curiously,

"Who could that be? And before you answer, just remember that you have a fabulous wife and daughter who you'd be lost without."

"I honestly have no idea. Let me go get it," He kissed her reassuringly and took the phone from Caesar, Lorelai watching with intrigue, "Hello?... Oh, hey... what?... _what?_...WHAT?... You'll never change, will you!... You can't do this! I have a wife and a kid to take care of!... Fine, you know what! Do whatever you want! Fine!" He slammed the phone onto the cradle and turned to face Rory and Lorelai staring at him, concerned and confused. He inhaled deeply, "Rory, help Caesar for a minute. I need to talk to mom alone." Lorelai pointed to herself questioningly and Luke motioned angrily upstairs.

"Don't you mean 'Rory, go upstairs'? I can help down here."

"Lorelai, I need to talk to you. Now."

"Fine, fine." She scurried upstairs, Luke stomping behind her, Rory watching nervously behind.

Lorelai sat on the couch in the office.

"Now, was that just a trick to get me upstairs?" She joked.

"That was Liz."

"Oh, how is she?"

"Liz? Oh, she's fine, now that she doesn't have a kid to take care of!"

"What! What happened to Jess!"

"She's sending him away!"

"To where?"

"Here! To live with us! She wants Jess to live with you, me, and Rory!"

"Where?"

"At the plaza!"

"Ok, honey, relax. You're very sarcastic when you're nervous."

"Lorelai, where the hell are we supposed to put him? He's ten! Do we have enough room or patience for another ten-year-old!"

"Well, Rory's a pretty chill kid. It'll be like having our first ten-year-old."

"Lorelai," He growled warningly.

"Sorry, sorry... Why is she sending him away?"

"She said that she doesn't like the path he's on- that by the time he's seventeen he could be in big trouble and she doesn't want him getting to that point. Then she told me that you and I have the kind of stable life that she wants for him and that we've done a great job with Rory so far and maybe, just maybe, we can turn Jess around." He finally took a breath.

"Maybe... she's right," Lorelai hesitated.

"What!"

"Maybe we could turn Jess around. He's family and you, of all people, always stress how important family is. Maybe try giving him an unchanging lifestyle and routine and see how he reacts. He could pick up his grades. We could even get Seth and Ryan to be friends with him- what better male ten-year-old role models can you find?"

"What about Rory?"

"What about her? She adores Jess. Remember last Christmas, he and Liz came to visit and she spent the entire two days with him? She didn't even call Seth and Ryan the entire weekend. She wanted her cousin all to herself... we might have to remedy that," She added as an afterthought.

"Where is he going to stay?"

"I don't know... maybe the basement?"

"The basement is filled with crap."

"Then you and Sandy have some time before you... When is he coming, anyway?"

"Sunday."

"So soon? Why not when school starts?"

"She wants him here in the middle of summer so he can 'get used to the vibe of Stars Hollow before he has to go to sixth grade'."

"Well, honey, I'll make you a deal. If you and Sandy clean out the basement- we still have the old bed from your old apartment down there- Kirsten and I will go out and get everything that he needs. Blankets, lighting, posters, ambiance- maybe we'll ask the kids for ideas." Luke was defeated,

"Fine." They turned and opened the door, hearing a flurry of footsteps descend down the stairs. They themselves made their way back into the diner to find Rory standing in front of the counter, her breathing deep, attempting to make her most innocent face- the one her father could never resist.

"So... your cousin's gonna come stay with us for a while."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Kirsten and Lorelai ventured to the mall to buy supplies for Jess's new bedroom. As she ran her fingers over the soft cloth of the Macy's comforter, Kirsten asked,

"So, what's his relationship with everybody like?"

"My nephew's?"

"Yeah... I'm just trying to figure out how many spa days we're going to need to de-stress you."

"Aww, you're the best friend ever. Have I ever told you that?"

"Occasionally." Lorelai paused before continuing,

"Jess... has a really strained relationship with his mom. It's like, they never talk, she never knows where he is. My sister-in-law, as much as I love her, she's not the world's greatest mom. She's a bit flaky occasionally."

"I wouldn't picture that being Luke's sister."

"Luke's the black sheep of the Danes clan."

"Ahh, point taken... so, what's it like with you guys and Jess?"

"Well... he's just kinda there around me. No real emotions. I'm his aunt who sits in the background. With Luke... it's weird, because Luke really tries to make sure he's not like his mom- doing drugs and getting himself into trouble. So he almost doesn't know what to make of Luke. Like _Should I let him protect me? _or _Get this guy away from me?_" Kirsten nodded,

"And with Rory?"

"Rory and Jess adore each other," she said without pause, "They're pals. They get along so well, it's almost sick. I think the only reason Jess is actually showing is because of Rory."

"So she's excited?"

"Ecstatic."

"Good. Well, maybe she can get him to open up."

"We can hope."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandy and Luke spent the next afternoon in the basement. Luke picked up a box labeled "Old tapes" and carried it to the foot of the stairs where a pile of objects to be brought to the garage was situated.

"So this is your..."

"My sister's kid."

"Where's his father?"

"The bum ran away when Jess was a baby. Since then, it's been Lizzie, Jess, and whoever Liz is married to at the time."

"Wow... Liz used to live in Stars Hollow?" Luke nodded,

"She hated it. It was too quiet for her. She must've run away ten times when we were kids."

"To where?"

"Anywhere. One time, she actually ran away to New York City. We found her, like, a week later. My father never did know how to deal with her." He sighed audibly as Sandy chose to change the topic,

"What's his feelings on all this?"

"Moving? I don't know. I doubt my sister asked him. She's not much with that."

"What's Jess like?"

"Jess? He's like... Rory, only in boy form. And she gets in a lot less trouble than he does. He's a smart kid. Reads a lot. Kinda shy, but very confrontational when he wants to be. And he'd protect Rory to the death."

"Almost sounds like Ryan."

"Except the trouble part."

"Except the trouble part," Sandy repeated, nodding, "So, what made your sister send him here?"

"I'm sure it was spur-of-the-moment. She's very impulsive, and not in a good way. She said something about him running away one time too many and giving a teacher the finger... something obscene and absurd."

"He's obscene and absurd? He'll fit in well here."

"Hopefulness is the root of insanity."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, Rory... what's he like?" Seth asked, kicking absently at the dirt beneath his feet that were dangling from Rory's backyard swingset.

"My cousin?"

"Yeah."

"Jess is... smart. Really smart. And funny. He likes to read a lot... Lane's met him. She's a more separated judge than I am. Ask her." Lane nodded from her seat at the monkey bars.

"I remember some stories about him..."

"Like?" Ryan asked from the tire swing.

"Well, once, he came to visit... he decided he wanted to go to the playground, but Rory's dad told her no. It was, like, nine at night. And..." She paused and glanced at Rory, looking for any sign that she could go on. Rory, however, glanced away, and Lane decided to continue, "He made Rory go with him to the playground without telling her parents. Her mom and dad were freaking out. You know how my house is right near the playground? My mama heard them laughing and got mad because she believes there should be no children's laughter past eight at night. So she went outside and found Rory and called Lorelai. Lorelai was crying and Luke yelled at Rory. I've never seen Luke yell before."

"He was scared. That was my fault. I should've told them. Jess can't make me do anything I don't want to."

"Or what about the time that he took your dad's fishing rod and got it stuck in the tree and broke it? The really expensive one?"

"He was, like, six. We're ten now. It's different."

"Or the time that he broke his mom's purse and pretended like he didn't know what happened?"

"So? Everybody breaks stuff. Leave him alone!" They were all silent for a moment before Lane found the courage to speak again, quietly,

"Jess is like Rory in boy form... only he..." She paused, unwilling to state the truth and offend her friend even more.

"Gets in a lot more trouble," Rory chimed sarcastically. They all winced at the obvious irritation in her voice, "He's not bad!" Rory retaliated.

"He sounds bad," whispered Ryan.

"He sounds like trouble," finished Seth.

"He's not! He's my cousin and you've never even met him!"

"Ok, ok, whatever," Her three best friends moved away slightly to give her space.

"No, not whatever! You guys are talking bad about Jess and you don't even know him! I hate you! Leave me alone!" She stood up and stormed through the house, throwing her bedroom door shut behind her. She sat down on her bed, fuming, and pulled out a notebook, writing in her journal.

Outside, Luke and Sandy had run upstairs, startled by the noise.

"Is everybody ok? What's going on out here?"

"Rory got mad."

"Rory never gets mad," Luke mentioned.

"What happened?" Sandy asked.

"We were talking about Jeff," Seth explained.

"Who?" perplexed, Luke narrowed his eyes at his best friend's son.

"Your nephew."

"Jess?"

"She has another cousin?"

"No, genius, it's the same one," Ryan shot at his brother.

"I definitely knew that."

"Sure you did."

"Seth! Ryan! On with it!"

"Oh, yeah, right. Lane was telling us some of the stories about him and Rory got mad and said he wasn't 'bad'. Then she said she hated us and ran off." Comprehension spread across Luke's face as confusion became evident on Sandy's,

"That doesn't sound like Rory."

"No, it does," Luke shook his head, "She's very protective of Jess. I'll be back. Go ahead, kids. Play." Luke turned on his heel and made his way into his house, purposefully making his way towards Rory's bedroom. He knocked gently on the door.

"Go away! I hate you!" Rory's voice called from inside.

"Rory, it's Dad."

"I don't feel like talking right now."

"Well, I do."

"I'm not in the mood to talk."

"I am. Open the door."

"No!"

"Lorelai," he growled warningly. Rory was taken aback; no one ever called her 'Lorelai' , except for the one time she had run away with Jess to the park. Slowly, methodically, she stood up and pulled open her bedroom door. She glanced up at him sheepishly as he asked her, disappointed, "Who are you and what have you done with my sweet kid?"

"Stop, dad."

"No, Rory. This is not you. This screaming and yelling and telling the boys and Lane that you hate them? You never fight with the three of them. Ever. What is this all about?" She turned around and sat at the foot of her bed before answering,

"I hate when people say things... like they did." Luke sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap, much as he had done when she had been a toddler in need of consolation,

"Is this all about Jess?" She nodded slowly as he hugged her encouragingly.

"It's just... everybody always says 'Jess is like Rory in boy form only he gets in a lot more trouble'. Everybody. Taylor and Babette and Lane and even you and mom and I hate it. He's my cousin and I'm not perfect and he's not that bad. I just hate when people bad-mouth him."

"Rory, you know that mom and I love Jess, it's just... we love you more. We have to. You're our kid. It's the rule. We've got to watch out for you. Everything we say is out of concern for you."

"So Jess getting in trouble all the time is my fault? Terrific. My cousin should hate me."

"Rory, c'mon. Every time Jess gets in trouble it's his own fault. If mom and I have taught you anything, it's that everyone's responsible for their own actions."

"No, if you and mom have taught me anything, it's that mom and I can't cook and shouldn't try." Luke laughed; her mother would've said the exact same thing had she been in a similar conversation.

"That is true. Just remember- Daddy owns the diner, mommy runs the inn. You and mom can deal with people. I can cook. That's how it works in this family. But, back to what I was saying- if you get in trouble, you're held responsible for what you did. The problem is, Jess doesn't know that. Your Aunt Liz, as much as we all love her," Rory smiled; her Aunt Liz was a lot of fun, "never made Jess take any responsibility for anything he did. And now he's getting in trouble. So he's coming here. But you can't protect Jess all the time. I want you to be happy and sweet and perky- I want you to be my regular Rory. Ok? This cannot make you change. Because I have to tell you- Angry Rory? Definitely not as princessy and lovable as regular Rory." Rory laughed,

"Ok, dad."

"You promise that you'll stay my sweet princess?"

"Yeah." She hugged her father tightly and recalled what her mother had told her in a talk earlier in the week- "Rory, there has never been anything in this world that your dad has loved more than he loves you." _I guess it's true._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke stood, his hands jammed firmly in his pockets as the bus pulled up to the station. A slew of people piled off of the bus, the last of which was a boy, about age ten, with dark, angry eyes and curly dark hair (_Similar to Seth's. _was how Luke had explained it.)

"Jess!" Luke called, attempting to get the boy's attention as he sluggishly dragged an oversized duffel bag behind him. He pushed through the crowd and made his way over to his nephew, picking up his bag, "How are you?" Jess shrugged, "How's your mom?" Jess shrugged again, a malicious glint evident in his eye, "Ok, well, your aunt and cousin are waiting back at the house," Jess nodded,

"Where's the car?"

"We're walking."

"Gotta love the small town life," Jess muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing." They began the short walk home in awkward silence, though Luke tried repeatedly to start conversation,

"So, you excited to be here?" A glance spoke Jess's emotions for him, "Rory's excited to see you," Jess nodded and couldn't help but grin a little at the mention of his only cousin's name, "Aunt Lorelai invited a few people over tonight for a little party. Just our friends- Sookie, Kirsten, and Sandy and a few of Rory's friends- Seth, Lane, and Ryan."

"Boys?" Finally, a reaction.

"Seth and Ryan are, yeah."

"Rory has boyfriends?"

"What! No! Rory has friends who are boys!"

"Sound like boyfriends."

"Rory doesn't have a boyfriend. They're family friends. Their parents are friends of mine and Lorelai's."

"They're brothers? Rory's dating brothers!"

"Rory isn't dating anyone, Jess!"

"Fine, fine..." They walked the rest of the way home in complete silence.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"They're here!" Rory's voice shrieked from inside. Luke grinned; Rory had been waiting for days. Jess rubbed vigorously at his ear,

"Was that Rory?"

"Yeah. She's excited."

"G-d, don't you ever discipline her?"

"Rarely need to," He stated pointedly. Rory ran outside, shrieking excitedly as Lorelai followed, rubbing at her ear, much as Jess had,

"Rory, I think they heard you. They know you know they're here."

"I'm just making sure."

"You woke up the dogs in Jersey."

"Well, they're lazy bums. They need to work more."

"As long as it's for a purpose." Rory ran up and threw her arms around Jess as Lorelai pecked Luke on the lips. She turned to Jess,

"Hey, pal. Welcome!"

"Hi, Aunt Lorelai." He was unenthusiastic.

"Well, you excited to be here?" He shrugged, "Ready to meet Stars Hollow?" Shrug, "Ok, well, we have some people coming over tonight," Shrug.

"Woah, de ja vu," Luke whispered to his wife.

"Mom, dad, can I take Jess and show him his room?"

"Sure, sweets," Rory began to pull him away, "Rory!" She turned around and nodded as her mother motioned for her to ask him if he was hungry.

Luke put his arm around Lorelai's waist as they watched the children disappear.

"One hell of a conversationalist," Lorelai said sarcastically as she turned to face him and put her arms around his neck; he slid his other arm around to meet the one already in place.

"I know... Can we really do this?"

"Luke, you know we can do this."

"Maybe we were crazy thinking we could help him. We're used to Rory. Did you ever notice that our daughter is an absolute angel?"

"I know. I've polished the halo."

"Very domestic of you."

"I was inspired by Martha."

"Washington?"

"Stewart."

"Ah... That conversation just got very silly, very quick."

"They usually do." Luke chuckled,

"It's just... he's exactly like his mother. What if we can't handle him?"

"Honey, we can. Trust me. This is Stars Hollow. There's nothing he can get in trouble with. Plus, we have eyes all over the town. It'll be fine." He grinned,

"I knew I liked you for a reason." Leaning in slowly, he kissed her softly.

Inside, Rory was giving Jess a re-tour of the house. Jess, however, was intently watching Luke and Lorelai through the open window,

"Your parents always do that?"

"Do what?"

"That," He pointed out the window at Luke and Lorelai.

"Oh... yeah... I wish they wouldn't. I mean, I'm glad they love each other, but sometimes, it's like... ew. You know?"

"No, not really."

"Your mom and dad don't kiss?"

"You mean my mom and whoever she's married to? No. Generally they ignore me and go off and do stuff, then get divorced," he saw the worried look on Rory's face and quickly added, "Sorry. I didn't mean..."

"That's ok. You're here now."

"Yeah."

"So, your room's downstairs."

"Downstairs?"

"Yeah. You get the whole basement to yourself." Jess frowned,

"The basement?" Rory pulled at his arm again, "You have to stop doing that!"

"Deal with it," She led Jess down the stairs near the front entryway and pulled him down the steps. Jess, expecting to find a room similar to his room in his mother's apartment- a bed with an old, dirty comforter, a drawer, and a light- held his breath. His jaw dropped as he took in the sight of his new bedroom.

The walls were painted a welcoming deep blue, the floor a beige shag carpet. Hanging on the wall were Yankees posters and pictures of himself and his family. Across from the doorway was a twin bed covered in a big, fluffy, blue-and-white striped comforter. Against the wall was a tall book shelf, about twenty books lining the wooden planks. Next to it sat a comfortable armchair in a deep blue fabric. Across the room stood an armoire which swung open to reveal more shelving, a reading light, and a desk. As Rory flipped the light switch, enabling the fan, she led Jess to the drawers.

"Sorry there's no clothes. Mom didn't know what size you were, so she said she'd take you shopping when you got here."

"She doesn't have to... I have stuff..."

"Please- mom lives to shop. Dad says it's his competition."

"This is really cool," Jess whispered in awe as Luke and Lorelai descended the stairs, Luke tickling Lorelai while she giggled gleefully, swatting at his arm.

"So, Jess, what do you think?" He asked, finally capturing his wife in his arms.

"It's really nice. Thanks."

"Thank your Aunt Lorelai. She came up with the concept for the room. Went out and got everything."

"Thanks, Aunt Lorelai."

"Well, your Uncle Luke worked really hard to get everything ready."

"Thanks, Uncle Luke." They heard a knock on the door upstairs and footsteps through the house. Ryan's voice called,

"Rory! Rory, c'mon! We're going to be late again!"

"We can't afford to be late again! The coach is going to kill us!" Seth yelled.

"Slowly," Ryan added.

"Painfully," Seth again.

"And without shame!" they both called.

"I'm coming!" Rory called.

"Oh, that's right. You guys have softball practice today."

"Yeah."

"How did I let your father talk you into playing that one?" Lorelai asked.

"Hey! She wanted to play!" defended Luke.

"Will you two stop already?" Seth called.

"Last time, you made us another five minutes late!" Ryan said from the top of the stairs.

"Bye mom. Bye dad. Bye Jess."

"Rory, right home after practice."

"Ok."

"I mean it. Don't stop for ice cream."

"We won't."

"Don't try and convince Caesar to go on a break and let you run the diner."

"We won't."

"Do NOT go and try and 'break Lane free from Church Hell'. You hear me? It was funny last time, but Mrs. Kim cursed our garden. Nothing's grown there since." Seth, Ryan, and Rory all burst into uproarious laughter,

"We won't. We promise. We'll be back before everybody gets here."

"Bye, princess. Have a good practice."

"Kick some touchdowns for me, sweets."

"Bye! See you later, Jess!" She ran up the stairs and followed the Cohen boys out to the ball field.

"So, that's Seth and Ryan?" Jess asked. Luke took note of the fact that the only time Jess seemed to speak was when Ryan and Seth were the subjects in question.

"Yeah. Those are the Cohen boys. Rory's best friends and cohorts."

"Do they always talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"Finishing each other's sentences."

"Yeah. All the time. It's kinda..."

"Spooky."

"Definitely."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory, Ryan, and Seth walked shoulder-to-shoulder to the softball practice.

"So, that was your cousin?" Ryan asked.

"He seemed... nice." Seth finished.

"You didn't hear him speak."

"He had a nice vibe about him."

"Aunt Hailey says you can learn a lot about someone from their aura."

"Aunt Hailey sounds like Aunt Liz."

"Aunt Liz sounds like fun."

"So does Aunt Hailey."

"You get in trouble with Aunt Liz, don't you?"

"From time to time... with Aunt Hailey?"

"From all the time to... yeah, pretty much all the time." Rory laughed, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. Suddenly, without warning, she began to sprint,

"Last one to the field is the Velveteen Rabbit!"

"What does that even mean!"

"I don't know! Just run!" They all began to sprint as Seth lagged behind,

"No fair! I have asthma!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later, Rory returned home, her pants covered in dirt. She coughed as she entered the house,

"Mom!"

"In here!" came her mother's voice from the den. Rory turned the corner to find Lorelai snuggled on the couch watching _The Brady Bunch Variety Hour._

"Daytime TV makes me sad," Rory stated simply, plopping down beside her mother's feet.

"C'mon! They're wearing matching sequin jumpsuits! It's cheese-tastic!"

"Just because you add -tastic to a word, doesn't make it a real word. We've had this discussion before."

"The Lorelai Danes dictionary has many words in use by only you and me."

"So I've heard."

"How was practice?"

"Ok. Ryan hit a home run and I walked twice and Seth got beamed in the head with a baseball. And then a bat."

"Again?"

"He didn't cry this time."

"They have got to stop letting that boy play catcher."

"I concur... Where's Jess?"

"Your dad took him out to show him around Stars Hollow and get him a bite to eat at the diner." Rory nodded. Slowly, Lorelai spoke, measuring her words, "So... what do you think... of your cousin being here... In Stars Hollow... In our house..." Rory grinned. She knew this conversation was a long time coming,

"I think it's cool."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think that we can help him and it'll be a lot of fun having him around the house. Plus, dad needs another boy to do guy stuff with."

"I don't know. He's got you pretty boyed up right now."

"Just because I play, doesn't mean I show any aptitude for the game."

"What's up with the dictionary talk today?"

"I was reading Lord of the Rings last night. I'm feeling very literary today."

"Gotcha... so... this whole thing isn't freaking you out at all?"

"Nope. I think that Jess is family and we can help him, so we should."

"You sound just like your dad."

"It's almost eerie, isn't it?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory emerged from her room wearing a flowered lavender miniskirt (Luke-approved length) and a matching tank-top. Her french braid swung wildly as she ran to open the door, her flip-flops clicking loudly.

"Dad! Jess! You're late! Everybody's going to be here in a few minutes!" She crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her foot at her father and cousin impatiently.

"Well, hello, darling daughter. My day was great. And yours? You say softball practice was good? Did Seth get hit again? Well, that sounds exciting."

"Mom's ready to kill you."

"Please- your mother is never punctual."

"Well, she's turning over a whole new tree."

"A new tree?" Jess asked.

"When Rory was five, she told us that she was making herself over. So Lorelai asked her if she was turning over a new leaf and Rory told her that it was too big to be a leaf- she was turning over a new tree. Ever since then..." His voice trailed off as Rory leaned up and kissed his cheek. _What have I gotten myself into? _thought Jess as he eyed Rory's outfit.

"Do I have to get all dressed up?"

"No. Why?"

"Rory's all dressed up."

"I always dress like this. Don't mind me."

"Jess, just go get changed into a different pair of jeans and a tee-shirt."

"Ok." He trudged downstairs as Rory turned to return to her room, shouting,

"I'll be reading! Let me know when everybody gets here!" Luke nodded and climbed up the stairs to his and Lorelai's bedroom to find her brushing her teeth in their bathroom.

"Hey, honey," she spit out the toothpaste in her mouth and went to give him a quick kiss hello on the lips.

"Cinnamon? I thought I bought the mint kind."

"I hate the mint kind. I keep the cinnamon stashed... So... how did it go with Jess?"

"He was quiet... seemed a bit resentful. Didn't want to talk about anything. I'm so used to Rory, who'll talk about anything, that I almost didn't know what to do with him. The only time he talked was when I mentioned Ryan and Seth."

"What kind of reaction?"

"Worried. I think it's a transference thing. His mom dated guys and hung out with guys and she would get hurt. And since Rory is the only thing in the whole world that he really cares about, the boys thing really hit him hard."

"Well, Rory's not going to stop hanging out with the boys. He'll get used to it. Seth and Ryan will win him over."

"They're good kids."

"Sandy and Kirsten have done a good job."

As if on cue, they heard Sandy's deep voice echo up the stairs,

"Is anybody home? We come bearing dessert!"

"In that case, we're home!" Lorelai yelled back, "We'll be down in a sec!"

Kirsten and Sandy entered the kitchen and put down the cake they'd brought on the table; Rory emerged from her bedroom.

"Hi, Sandy. Hi, Kirsten. Where are the boys?"

"They're outside, looking at Seth's bruise from baseball in the dark."

"They say it looks like Spongebob at the right angle."

"This I have to see." She gave them a small wave and ran out to the front door as Luke and Lorelai entered the kitchen.

"Where's she off to?"

"Seth's bruise looks like Spongebob. She wanted to see."

"Really! Oh, I wanna see!"

"Stay here," Luke grabbed her arm as she pouted, "A ten-year-old. I married a ten-year-old." He winced.

"That came out wrong."

"Completely."

"So, where's Jess?" Kirsten laughed.

"Basement. He's getting changed." The three kids came back in the room, now accompanied by Lane, who had showed up while they were outside.

"I think it looks more like Patrick," Rory contributed.

"You just think that because you think Patrick's cute," teased Ryan.

"She does not! She thinks Prince Charming is cute," Lane defended her friend before noticing her slip.

"Lane!"

"Sorry!"

"You like a cartoon!" Seth pointed at Rory, laughing.

"He's not real, Rory. You can't like someone who's not real!" Ryan giggled.

"Hey, boys, if I remember correctly, you two both used to fight over who got to date..."

"MOM!"

"NO!"

"Wait... there was a note. A pact. I believe the note read _Seth Ezekiel Cohen and Ryan Nicholas Cohen do hereby agree that neither of us will fall in love with Jessica Rabbit. We cannot let the female rabbit come between us. We are brothers. She is only a girl._" She smiled at the memory as her boys put their hands to their foreheads,

"MOM!"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TOLD THEM THAT!" Rory and Lane were collapsed in fitful giggles on the floor,

"At least mine was human!"

"And at least he could dance!" They lay there, laughing hysterically as the boys began to come around, followed by the adults. Soon, everyone was laughing heartily around the kitchen. Sookie entered the house,

"What did I miss?"

"Sook, did you ever have a crush on a cartoon character?" She nodded,

"The Sleeping Beauty Prince Charming."

"Because he could dance!" After a few minutes of their laughter, Luke coughed out,

"Rory, go get your cousin." She nodded and stood up shakily, her body still weary from laughter. A minute later, she returned, pulling Jess by the arm.

"Rory, if you're going to do that, at least be gentle about it!" Jess stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the group of people assembled in the kitchen, staring expectantly at him, "Umm... hi..."

"Hi, you must be Jess," Sandy offered his hand, which Jess accepted awkwardly.

"Jess, this is Sandy, Kirsten, their sons, Seth and Ryan, and Sookie. I think you've met Lane before," Luke introduced his nephew to the group.

"Yeah, I remember." There was an awkward silence in the group before Lorelai spoke,

"So... anybody hungry? We have plenty to go around?"

"Even after you and Rory eat?"

"Fine, we have enough to go around."

"Honesty is the best policy."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later, everyone was sitting around, watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, completely stuffed. The evening had been business as usual, only worked around the new, quiet boy who repeatedly shot death glares at the Cohen boys while they joked with Rory. Rory was the first to speak up when the movie ended at eight o'clock.

"Mom, can Lane sleep over?"

"I don't see why not."

"Ok, could you take us to her house to get her stuff?"

"Sure. You know what, I wanted to stop at the market to get some things anyway." Luke was startled,

"What things, Lorelai?"

"Nothing, honey. Just things."

"Lorelai, we have food in the house."

"No, sweetheart. We have your food. Rory and I need sugar to sustain us."

"Lorelai."

"Sorry, baby. We're buying some candy for the crew. Anybody want anything?" Luke was defeated,

"Get me Big League Chew."

"Ok," She leaned down and kissed his cheek as across the room, everybody except Jess called out requests. She made mental notes of everybody's order before turning to her nephew, who had separated himself from the group, "Jess, any suggestions?"

"No, Aunt Lorelai."

"C'mon, sweetie. This is candy shopping for the week. If anything, you need a big order. It has to sustain you. We even set aside a 'Jess' candy drawer for you."

"A 'Jess' candy drawer?"

"Yeah- Rory, Uncle Luke, and I all have one. That's your candy drawer. Nobody can take from your drawer unless you give the ok." Jess laughed. Though he hated Stars Hollow, he loved the idea of the candy drawer. _Finally, a plus._

"I guess I'll have some plain M&Ms, some Red Vines, and some Gummi Bears."

"Good choice. We'll be back in a bit."

"Wait, you guys are going out? Let me come with you!" Jess pleaded; the last thing he wanted was to be stuck home with his uncle, his uncle's friend, and two kids who he disliked immensely.

"Oh, Jess, sweetie, we would, but Mrs. Kim hates boys and she'd freak out if she saw us walking towards her house with you and Lane together. Sorry." Jess panicked as the five women left the room (Sookie had to go home; she had a wedding to cater the next day). Seth and Ryan glanced at each other; they knew what the other was thinking.

_What do we do now?_

_This will not end well. Mark my words... _

"So, boys, Luke and I are going to clean up a bit before they get back. Why don't you three head over to the park?"

"The park? Alone?" Jess asked; he remembered all too well the last time he had done that.

"Yeah. Just be back by nine, ok?"

"Uncle Luke, is that ok?" He glanced at his uncle, who gave him an encouraging nod, picking up the abandoned paper plates from the coffee table. Ryan and Seth wordlessly began to run towards Rory's room, where they had left their shoes, "I guess I'll go put my sneakers on," Jess said to no one in particular.

Fifteen minutes later, the boys were walking towards the park in stony silence. Occasionally, Seth or Ryan would try and start a conversation, though they were rewarded with only a grunt of acknowledgement. Eventually, Ryan couldn't take it anymore,

"Look, Jess, why don't you like us? What did we do? Can we fix it?"

"Ryan! Mom would kill you if she heard you say that!"

"Mom's not here, so why, Jess?"

"Why?" Jess looked up at the two boys who acted like twins, though they looked nothing alike. He sighed, "You wanna know why? Because you're guys. I don't trust guys. In my life, all the women in my life have been left by guys and they're always upset. My mom's been married five times already. Each one of them left her. And I don't trust you guys."

"Why? We're not marrying your mom," Seth said before clapping his hand over his mouth. Jess shook the comment off and retorted,

"No, but you guys are close to Rory. And she's my cousin. And if either of you hurts her, I will have to hurt you. I don't trust that you're good guys. I think that most guys are slime, and I don't see how you're any different." Seth and Ryan were taken aback, and didn't say anything as they reached the playground. As Jess veered off towards the swing, Seth and Ryan made their way to the monkey bars, communicating only through meaningful looks.

Things stayed that way- silent, until a deafening cackle pierced the warm summer air.

"So, who are you?" asked a snide voice from the shadows.

"Me? None of your business."

"New kid in town, huh? Think you're cool?"

"I never said anything, but, hey, if you can pick up on it that quick, then maybe I am." The boy stepped out of the shadows to reveal that he was a full six inches taller than Jess. Two other, shorter boys, stepped out behind him.

"Oh, so he thinks he's funny. Maybe we should teach him that he's not." The boy chided. As he stepped in, fist balled, a strong voice came from behind them.

"Dean, leave him alone!" Ryan screamed.

"Oh, Cohen, what are you doing here? Is this your other brother? Seems about as cool as you and your first brother."

"Dean, go play with your Ken dolls," Seth sneered.

"Wow, Cohen #2. You're protective of your triplet, aren't you? Being twins isn't enough?"

"Just because no one likes you enough to make friends with you, Dean, doesn't mean you have to pick on us."

"That's it!" Dean lunged at Ryan and pulled his fist back. He was suddenly pulled away by a strong arm gripping his own. He swung wildly at Jess, now on his back. Seth and Ryan stepped forward, attempting to stop them, as the other two boys stepped forward and began throwing punches. Soon, the fighting was one-on-one, punches flying through the night air.

Before they knew it, there was a screaming, and hands pulling them off of each other,

"Ryan! Seth!" Kirsten screamed.

"Jess!" Lorelai grunted, pulling Dean off of her nephew.

"Are you guys ok?" breathed Rory, bending down to look them in the eye.

"Yeah, we're fine."

"That guy's just an ass..."

"Ryan!"

"Sorry, mom." The mothers checked on their boys before turning to the other children,

"You guys are not going to be happy."

"What! They started it!"

"They did not! We saw the whole thing!" Lorelai spat back at the ten-year-old, grabbing him by the wrist, firmly but gently.

"Jess was sitting on the swing and you came up to him. You gave the first punch," Kirsten defended the boys as Jess watched on in amazement. No one had ever protected him like that- especially not someone he'd just met.

As they walked Dean and the other two boys home, Lorelai and Kirsten allowed their own children to lag behind. Rory and Lane walked slightly ahead of the boys, giving them space to cool off. Suddenly, Jess leaned over to Seth and Ryan,

"I guess I was wrong. You guys aren't slime. Thanks."

"You hear that, Ry? We're not slime!"

"Dad's gonna be so proud!" Jess laughed with his new friends, almost glad that he had come to live in Stars Hollow.


	13. The Past Becomes Present

_A/N- Thanks for the reviews! I 3 you guys! I have a cold and you all made me feel that much better! You rock!_

_A/N 2- Questions! I got a lot of comments on the way that the kids talk. I was basing it off of the ten-year-olds that I'm a camp counselor for in the summer. There actually are ten-year-olds who talk like that. They're more my friends than my campers. Haha I 3 them. Also, as to Jess's explanation- he's been the parent his whole life. In my mind, he's very mature for his age, since he's had to take care of his mom. Yeah, similar to Ryan when he came to the Cohens' at first. In addition, Seth is going to be Lane's Dave. I think they'd be way too cute together- with the music obsession and whatnot. By the way, if my cousin's review confused you all, our other cousin got bit by a pony and we were writing a poem for her. And she did indeed get her lip caught in a PushPop. She then threw it across the room. My poor bedroom. Also, the last chapter took place about six months after Rory broke her arm. That's in the past. Everything is basically one chapter a year until they hit 16. Then, it'll be way more per year._

_Dedicated- to Ally because she understood when I was angry and my angriest music to listen to was Rooney, blasted really loud. And because she got her lip caught in a Push Pop._

_Disclaimer- Same as always. Own nothing, except a few tank tops and some jeans. Plus a few pairs of pink flip-flops._

The Past Becomes Present

Kirsten unlocked the front door to her house, juggling groceries on one knee and pushing the door open with her opposite side hand. The boys were out at play practice with Rory, Lane, and Jess, and she had decided to take the time to do things it was difficult to do while bringing her sons around town. She hit the play button on the blinking answering machine and began to move busily about the kitchen.

"Message one," said the mechanical woman's voice.

"Hey, Kirsten, Sandy, it's Lorelai. I was wondering if you could take Rory and Jess home from play practice today. Rory's sick of her playroom at the diner and Jess never liked it and they'd much rather hang out with Seth and Ryan and I have business class tonight. Well, my pager's on. Let me know if it's ok. Talk to you later. Bye." Kirsten nodded; of course it was fine that Rory and Jess come back to her house. At this point, she didn't even know why she, Sandy, and the Danes even asked. It wound up happening inevitably- not that she minded. She was glad that the boys had good friends who she knew wouldn't get them into trouble- her mischievous boys did that for themselves enough. It was never anything serious, and it was often funny, but occasionally it was better that they just come home and play on the computer.

"Message two," the mechanical voice again.

"Hey, family! It's Hailey! I was just calling up to check on my sister and brother-in-law and make sure my nephews aren't out partying at all hours of the night. Gimme a call back. Love y'all!" Kirsten's sister always made her laugh. Even though she had no idea where she was half the time, she loved her dearly.

"Message three," mechanical voice woman almost had infliction in her monotone.

"Hey, Cohens, it's Jimmy and co.," Kirsten's head shot up at the sound of her old friend's voice, "We were just wondering how you were. We miss you. Also, we're gonna be in your part of the world in a few days. We have a party in Hartford to go to for work, we thought maybe we'd stop by and see you guys- Marissa wants to see the boys. So, gimme a call back. You know the number. Bye." Kirsten smiled to herself. She hadn't seen Jimmy in over three or four years- since the last time they'd gone back to California to visit her father. They had quickly decided it was too painful and settled for phone calls instead. Finishing putting away the groceries, she pulled out her address book, quickly dialing the numbers to Jimmy's house in California. The phone rang a few times before there was a clicking on the other end,

"Hello?" asked a man's voice. Jimmy's. Kirsten was silently relieved that it hadn't been Julie who had picked up.

"Jimmy Cooper, what are you thinking calling me up in the middle of the day like this? My husband is going to get suspicious." On the other end, Jimmy smiled. He couldn't remember Kirsten ever being happy enough to make a joke like that.

"Kirsten! How are you? You sound great!"

"I am. I am great. How are you?"

"Can't complain. The boys?"

"Ummm... mischievous. But good."

"Mischievous? Sounds like they take after their mom. What have they done?"

"Well, let's see. They've distracted the guy who runs the town meeting and told him that they changed the meeting place so they could run it. They climbed the tree at their friend Lane's house to help her escape from a Korean Lunar New Year party. Her mother found them and told us that we should've had daughters- no good comes from sons. They've orchestrated reenactments of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in the town square."

"No!"

"I kid you not. Standing in the middle of the gazebo yelling 'There's no earthly way of knowing which direction we are going' for a good half hour, throwing candy bars to people passing by."

"By themselves?"

"No. They got their friends Rory and Jess to help them. Their friend Lane watched from the side and organized it. Her mother would kill her if she was any part of that."

"And their parents didn't mind?"

"Rory and Jess are cousins. Jess lives with Rory's parents. And Rory's dad owns the diner across from the gazebo, so it gave him extra business that day. Rory's mom, Lorelai, one of my good friends, helped organize it."

"Do they get in trouble?"

"They get a scolding, but it's funny and it doesn't hurt their grades and nothing's hurt or broken, so it's not such a big deal. Boys will be boys." Jimmy laughed heartily,

"Did they have parts or were they just singing?"

"Ryan was Wonka, Seth was Charlie Bucket, Jess was Grandpa Joe, and Rory was an Oompa-Loompa and Violet."

"Poor kid."

"It was her pick. Apparently, her and Lorelai have some kind of joke with the Oompa-Loompas. Something about Lorelai having a crush on them."

"Sounds a bit odd..."

"Welcome to Stars Hollow... Speaking of which, what's this I hear about you being in the neighborhood later this week?"

"Oh, yeah... we'll be in town on business and I have a party to go to in Hartford. I wondered if you guys would be around to have dinner with me, Julie, and the girls on Friday."

"Well, we usually have dinner with Luke and Lorelai, but we could miss just this week."

"Great. We'll see you Friday around... threeish?"

"Sounds great. You have our address?"

"We've gotten letters."

"See you then."

"Sandy will be thrilled."

"Bye."

"Bye."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory grunted as she slung her bookbag over her shoulder. She glanced at Seth, who was having the same problem that she was, and Jess and Ryan, who threw their bookbags over their backs easily. She pulled at her earring and readjusted it, throwing one of her pigtail braids behind her shoulder.

"Is there any chance we're going to be ready for the show by next week?" Hastily, Ryan shook his head,

"Not a chance."

"No way," echoed Seth.

"The four of us are the only ones who know our lines. Glinda kept saying, 'I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!'" Jess sniggered.

"Well, at least she remembers that line. 'And your little... kitten? goldfish?... line!'" Rory mimicked Lindsay Lister, who was playing the Wicked Witch of the West. Their drama class was putting on a production of _The Wizard of Oz_ the following weekend, and they had auditioned nearly a month before for parts. Jess had been cast as the Tinman, Seth as the Cowardly Lion, Ryan as the Scarecrow, and Rory was a natural fit for Dorothy. It only made sense to the teachers to have four of the five best friends in the school play the parts of the four main characters. However, Lane was prohibited from performing in the play by her mother due to its "Wiccan undertones", and was forced to do an alternate project.

"Yeah, but Rory, how many times have you seen that movie?"

"Seven times."

"In the past three months," Jess retorted at his cousin. In the seven months that he had been living with his aunt and uncle, Jess had managed to stay out of any major trouble. Sure, he had gotten grounded two or three times for not working up to his potential in school, and had lost his temper once or twice, but he had avoided any major fights with the adults and the other kids at school (he made sure to steer clear of Dean), and managed to keep his grades above C+s (Though Luke and Lorelai hardly allowed that to suffice; they knew he could manage an A-average, given proper motivation).

"Fine. Mom and I have seen it two-hundred and forty-five times. Our tape broke from watching it too much. Dad has a habit of leaving the house as soon as mom says 'Auntie Em! Auntie Em! A twister! A twister!' You happy now?"

"Very."

"I still don't know why they picked me to be Dorothy. I can't sing."

"I know. They're such idiots," Seth teased.

"Yeah, they must have had earplugs in when you auditioned," Jess mocked.

"Hey, hey, no. I think Rory sings pretty well! Don't tease, guys. That's not nice. Rory sings fine." Rory gave Ryan a withering "thank you" look and stuck her tongue out at the two curly-haired boys. Again, she smiled at her blonde friend, who smiled back, and felt her stomach flip a little bit. She was about to wink when she restrained herself. _Woah, there, Danes. That's just Ryan. Just your friend Ryan. It's not like he's Nick Carter or Justin Timberlake or anything... Note to self... Never say that out loud in front of mom. The mocking will never end. _

They turned onto Kelly Road and Ryan and Seth veered off first to their house. Before Jess and Rory got a chance to proceed to theirs, Kirsten called out the door,

"Rory! Jess! Your mom's got class and your dad's at the diner! They figured you'd rather come hang out with Ryan and Seth today instead of going up to the playroom."

"Yes!" Jess whispered exasperatedly. He hated being in the playroom at the diner. It was simply too small for him. He turned and ran towards his friends' house, Rory trailing after. He shot an appreciative smile at the blonde woman, "Thanks, Kirsten."

"No problem, honey. You guys hungry? It takes a lot finding the Wizard." The kids all laughed. Despite himself, Jess couldn't help but like the adults in Stars Hollow... well, most of them anyway. His aunt and uncle took care of him, the Cohens were incredibly nice, Kirk was insane, and was like watching a one-man carnival in the street, and Fran Weston often gave him free cake for being "a nice young boy and helping her sweep the porch". The only one he disliked was Taylor, though he found his arguments with his uncle hilarious. Once all the kids were settled with Oreos and milk in the kitchen, Kirsten asked them her typical, "How was school?" All of the kids mumbled some variation of,

"Fine" or "Ok" before Kirsten turned to Seth and Ryan, knowing this conversation wasn't going to go any further,

"Oh, Seth, Ryan, guess who's coming to visit?"

"Santa!" Seth joked excitedly, prompting Ryan to hit his brother in the arm,

"No, you idiot."

"Ryan!"

"Sorry, Seth... Is it... Aunt Hailey?"

"No, but she did call." Both boys sighed sadly; they loved having their Aunt Hailey around.

"How about..." Sudden terrified realization dawned on Ryan's face. Seth, sensing his brother's sudden horror, glanced at Ryan, who gave him only a nod to encourage his thought process. Suddenly, Seth comprehended and both boys groaned.

"What, boys?"

"Mom, it's not... The Nana, is it?" It wasn't that the boys disliked their grandmother- she was just difficult to deal with sometimes.

"What? No, no, boys. It's not the Nana."

"Or..." Kirsten cut her son off,

"No, it's not Grandpa Caleb either." Both boys heaved sighs of relief. Jess looked at them curiously, whispering to Rory,

"Did he just know what Ryan was thinking?" Rory nodded. No matter how long he lived there, Jess didn't think he'd ever adjust to the Cohen boys' odd psychic connection.

"Then who is it, mom?" Seth finally asked, nearly whining.

"Jimmy and Julie are bringing the girls down. They have a party to go to in Hartford or something for Jimmy's work and they're gonna stop by on Friday."

"They're bringing Marissa?" Ryan asked, somewhat interested. Though he and Marissa had been inseparable as toddlers and young children, he hadn't spoken to her since his most recent visit to California at age eight. At eleven, he could only remember that she was blonde, and that her mother had a habit of looking down her nose at him while she talked.

"Yeah, they're bringing Marissa. You guys haven't seen her in a while."

"Not since California part two," Seth commented.

"Who's Marissa?" Rory asked. For some reason, she felt an odd pang behind her stomach.

"Marissa is..." Ryan began, but Seth cut him off,

"Ryan's ex-girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend?"

"Ryan and Marissa were boyfriend and girlfriend in Kindergarten. Then we moved away."

"Oh... You think you guys would still be together if you hadn't moved here?" Rory asked, trying desperately to hide the fear in her voice. Her fears were somewhat allayed, however, when Ryan snickered,

"We were five. I hugged her and we thought we were married. There's no way we'd still be together." Rory smiled, though for some reason, her best friend's words resounded in her head, _We were married. We were married. _The pang behind her stomach seemed to make its presence known. _What is this? I remember having this feeling... maybe twice. Once when I was five and saw Dad talking to another little girl, and I was afraid he'd call her princess. The other time, I was eight, and Mom was playing with someone else's kid while I did my homework... Am I jealous? _She shook the thought out of her head and was shaken from her reverie by Ryan's voice,

"Rory! You coming? We're gonna go start the stories we have to do for English homework." Rory grinned at the boys and nodded, still pushing away thoughts of jealousy.

As the boys and Rory made their way into the den, Kirsten couldn't help but notice Rory's gaze. She recognized that look. And she could tell what the future held.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Caesar moved purposefully around the diner as Luke cooked in the back.

"Tuna melt on Rye, no mayo, and a diet Coke," he announced, placing the plate down in front of a woman who wore a black baseball cap, blonde curls spilling out from underneath.

"Thank you," she said quietly. Luke took no notice of the woman as the phone rang,

"Luke's."

"Hey, honey," came a sultry voice from the other time, "I got a call about you needing a call girl tonight?"

"Hi, what's going on?" He knew it was Lorelai.

"Hey, how'd you know I wasn't really a call girl?"

"Call it a hunch. I repeat, what's going on?"

"Nothing. My class just let out, but I have to stop and talk to my dad about insurance things for the inn, so I'll be home around sevenish. And Rory and Jess are at Sandy and Kirsten's with the boys. Could you pick them up around fiveish?"

"Fiveish?"

"Finkel."

"Yes. And I've told you not to make that joke anymore."

"You brought it on yourself."

"Probably."

"Ok, I should go. I'm at the haunted house. I love you."

"You too. Bye."

"Bye." He hung up and continued to cook.

Five minutes later, the bell rang and Luke glanced up to watch the back of the blonde woman's head leave the diner. There was something familiar about this woman. He only saw the back of her head, but there was something he recognized about her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The woman sat quietly, listening intently to Luke's conversation.

"Hi, what's going on?... Call it a hunch. I repeat, what's going on?... Fiveish?... Yes. And I've told you not to make that joke anymore... Probably... You too. Bye." Nothing intriguing about that conversation. The diner still looked the same, Stars Hollow still looked the same, even Kirk, try as he might to age, still looked the same. The only thing that looked different was Luke. He looked more mature, but happier. He was smiling. He looked as though he had responsibilities, though he didn't mind.

She leaned over to get a better glimpse of his left hand, but it was hidden behind the barrier. With realism, she shook the thought out of her head. _Luke Danes? Get married? Not a chance. He hates marriage. And kids. Jam-hands. Soulmates. He doesn't believe in that stuff. _

Quietly, she got up and left. She'd try and talk to him later in the week.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At five, Luke called to Caesar,

"I'm going! I'll be back to close up!"

"Ok, boss!"

With dinner in hand (spaghetti with meatballs for himself and Lorelai, and burgers and fries for the kids), he set off to pick up Rory and Jess. He glanced at the picture of Rory on Christmas, wearing both a blue-and-white bow and a red-and-green bow on her head to help Seth and Ryan celebrate their holiday, Chrismukkah. He was consumed in his thoughts. _Look at her. She's eleven already. Soon she'll be going to high school, driving, dating boys. Lord no. No boys. My little girl is not ready to like boys. I'm not ready to share her yet. I can't believe how fast she's growing up. I swear, yesterday, she was climbing onto my lap to watch Cinderella. At this rate, she'll be a teenager within days. Am I ready for her to be a teenager? _

Opening the Cohens' door, he yelled,

"Hello? Where is everybody?"

"Hey, Luke!"

"Hey, Kirsten!"

"Rory, Jess, it's time to go!" Kirsten rounded the corner.

"Hey, did they behave?"

"Please. Maybe they can teach my boys a thing or two. I think Seth and Ryan are planning another prank."

"Well, that would mean that my little joke coordinator is in on it too."

"I'm sorry that my boys are a bad influence on your kid."

"Please. She's her mother's daughter. The boys just give her a harmless outlet." Kirsten smiled as Luke's kids approached the front door. Luke, noticing that Rory looked distraught, engulfed her in a hug hello. Though it may not have been obvious to other people, he was her daddy, and he could tell when something was off. As he ruffled Jess's hair, he looked Rory in the eye,

"Ror? Are you ok?"

"What?... Yeah... Yeah... I'm fine."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, dad. I'm fine."

"If you're fine, then why were you acting so funny all afternoon?" asked Jess as he threw his backpack over his shoulder. Rory shot him a death glare and he backed away, wandering ahead towards the house, bidding Kirsten a "Thank You" and "Goodbye".

"You were acting funny? What does Jess mean you were acting funny?"

"It's nothing, dad. Really."

"Rory, if something's the matter, you need to tell me."

"Nothing's the matter!"

"Rory, I don't appreciate you lying to me."

"I'm not lying to you! Gosh, dad, just leave me alone!" And with a final huff, she stormed off towards the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night, once the kids were asleep, around ten o'clock, Luke and Lorelai sat on the couch together, watching TV. Unexpectedly, Luke pulled his arm from its position around Lorelai's shoulders, grabbing the remote and muting the tv.

"Have you noticed anything weird going on with Rory lately?"

"How so?"

"Did she seem like she's been acting funny? Less Rory, more... cranky?"

"She did seem a little bit distracted at dinner. But I thought that was because she was mad at you. You weren't exactly acting yourself either, but that's because you hate when she's mad at you."

"No, it's just... I think something's bothering her, and I can't put my finger on what it is."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"Watch her tomorrow. Keep an eye on her. See if she's acting any differently."

"I just... I hate spying on her. My parents did that to me and it made me run away. I trust that she'll come to us if she has a problem." Luke sighed,

"Just making sure."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three o'clock on the dot on Friday afternoon, the Cohens heard a knock on the door. Both Sandy and Kirsten had taken the day off of work to get the house ready for company. Kirsten threw the door open to find Jimmy Cooper, in all his glory, standing proudly with two blonde little girls, one around eleven, the other about six, and his wife, Julie, standing snobbishly behind them, examining her nails.

"Jimmy!" Kirsten threw her arms around her old friend as Sandy walked up behind them.

"Jimbo! Julie! How are you?"

"We're good." Kirsten nodded politely at Julie and turned her attention to the girls,

"Caitlin, look how big you are!"

"Mommy says I'm self-sufficient, but Grandma says it's like I'm not even there."

"Well, isn't that... unique. Marissa! Look at you! A woman already!"

"Hi, Mrs. Cohen. It's nice to see you, too. Where are the boys?" Kirsten laughed at the little girl's eagerness before responding,

"They have play practice today. They'll be home by three-thirty."

"Ok."

The Coopers followed Sandy and Kirsten into their spacious-for-Stars-Hollow home, into the kitchen.

"My, isn't it... cozy," Julie snidely remarked.

"Well, Stars Hollow is cozy, Jules," Sandy chided.

"It's a very quaint place to live."

"Just wait until we take you to meet Kirk. Then you won't say it's quaint. Crazy. Terrifying. Utterly confusing. But not quaint."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan, Seth, Rory, and Jess walked home together, Rory in full makeup for the play; the first of their dress rehearsals had been that afternoon. Through the stroll, they giggled together, their usual eleven-year-old banter and jokes presiding. Once they had reached the Cohens', Rory turned to her two friends,

"What are you guys doing tonight? Wanna come over and watch Wizard of Oz for inspiration?" Jess groaned; he could tell what his night was most likely going to consist of.

"As great as that sounds, Rory," Seth started.

"We have company," Ryan finished, grateful, for once, that he did indeed have company other than the Danes family.

"Oh... right... well, we're going home... if you guys want to stop by later to hang out or something..."

"We'll try our best." Seth and Ryan turned to enter their house as Jess and Rory continued the short walk home. After three minutes of complete silence, Jess spoke up,

"What was that all about?"

"What was what all about?"

"You were upset when Ryan said he couldn't hang out."

"I was not."

"Yeah, you were."

"No, as my dad would say, I was a little disappointed. And it wasn't just Ryan. Seth, too." Jess nodded smugly, prompting Rory to reach forward to push him. He ran ahead, opening the door to the house using the key from under the turtle before his cousin got a chance.

It was going to be a long night.

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Seth and Ryan tip-toed into the house. As much as they wanted to please their parents, they really didn't want to face the "dragon lady" quite yet. Though they attempted to slide past their parents and make it up to their bedrooms, they had no such luck and were soon greeted with a chorus of,

"Ryan! Seth! Come say hello!" from their parents. They sighed and glanced at each other- an entire conversation without any words necessary about how, on second thought, they'd both rather be watching _The Wizard of Oz _with Rory that night. They begrudgingly turned, dropping their bookbags by the stairs and wandered slowly towards the kitchen.

"Hey, everybody," Ryan mumbled with a false smile as Seth waved a polite "hello".

"Oh, wow! Those are the boys! Look at them!" Jimmy exclaimed, "Last time I saw you guys, you were as tall as Caitlin. Look how big you guys are!"

"Yeah, well, four years will do that to you," Seth mumbled under his breath. Everyone chose to ignore him (except Ryan, who stifled a laugh), as Jimmy began again,

"Let me guess who's who. Seth," He pointed at Seth, "And Ryan," He pointed at Ryan. The boys looked at each other. They both knew what the other was thinking

_Well, that was difficult to figure out. Blonde hair, blue eyes, shorter. Could that be Ryan? Brown hair, brown eyes, taller. Maybe it's Seth! _

I definitely don't remember Jimmy being this weird. I wonder if he's trying to make himself look cooler in front of Mom.

"Boys, you didn't say hi to Marissa yet," Kirsten reminded them, awakening them from their silent conversation.

"Hi Marissa," both boys said quietly. Marissa responded enthusiastically,

"Hi, Seth! Hi, Ryan! How are you guys? How have you been? Let's go do something! Where are your rooms? Do you still share a room like you did when you lived in Newport? C'mon, let's go!" She began to pull them out of the room as Ryan and Seth sent their parents glares. Sandy and Kirsten merely stifled chuckles; the boys had a very low tolerance for over-eagerness.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Upstairs, Marissa had settled herself in Ryan's room, sorting through his sports awards,

"MVP of the year? Most Home Runs? Best Catcher? Wow, Ryan, these are amazing!" As much as she was annoying him, Ryan couldn't help but like Marissa at least a little bit. They had, for that matter, been good friends as little kids.

"Well, it's nothing compared to my 'Eager Participant' medal I got in first grade," Seth joked.

"Yeah, well, you were proud of it," Ryan smirked at his brother.

"Hey, pal, a ribbon's a ribbon."

"Seth, it's ok. Your CD and book collections are really cool."

"See, Nicky? My room's cooler than yours."

"Don't call me 'Nicky'," Ryan growled, giving Seth a threatening look.

"Why not? It's part of your name."

"Fine, Ezekiel, your CDs are cool."

"Hey, no fair! Your middle name's better than mine." The boys both noticed Marissa's infectious laughter at the same time.

"What's so funny?"

"You two. Caitlin's too little to joke around with like you guys do. I wish I could talk to her like that."

"It gets annoying sometimes," Ryan grinned mischievously.

"Yeah, but you know there's no one else in the world you'd rather hang out with more than me."

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Rory was sitting placidly on her bed, her copy of _Of Mice and Men _resting in her lap. She heard a knock on the front door and, while wondering who it could possibly be, heard Jess's voice echo up the stairs,

"Rory, can you get it?"

"Yeah, I'm going!" She pulled the door open slowly. "Ry? Why did you knock?"

"Marissa's mom told me to be polite and knock," He pointed at Julie, who was standing, watching the scene taking place, on the Cohens' porch, "Rory, this is Marissa." He pointed to the girl standing confidently behind him.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Marissa greeted perkily.

"You too," Rory noted the sheepishness in her voice and silently scolded it for seemingly coming out on its own, "You guys want to come in? Hang out? Where's Seth?"

"Oh, no. I just came because I forgot my script in your bookbag before when mine was too full... and Seth wanted me to make sure you weren't killing Jess with Toto."

"Hey, nobody has to watch who doesn't want to."

"You once made me sit through four Mary-Kate and Ashley movies in one day."

"We were eight and you were easy to force."

"Thanks a lot. I have to get back, though. We left Seth alone with the adults and... well, you know Seth."

"Yeah, I do. Hold on a sec." She ran to get the script from her bookbag and bid Ryan and Marissa goodbye. Watching as they returned, laughing, to the Cohens' next door, Rory felt the pang return with unprecedented fervor. She had no idea what to do. All she knew was that she had to get out of the house and away from Ryan Cohen as soon as possible, before something even more unknown happened to her.

"Jess, I'm going out for a walk! I'll be back later!"

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Luke, organizing the receipts behind the counter at the diner, was startled by a familiar woman's voice.

"Hey, Luke." His head shot up. _No. It can't be. Not here. Not after all these years._

"Rachel?" He jammed his hands into his pockets, his usual stance of self-protection.

"How are you?" She asked as she made her way behind the counter, throwing her arms around him in a minorly seductive manner, "You look great!"

"I'm... I'm ok."

"So... how's life treating you?" He sighed and pulled himself away for her, seemingly grasping for the right words.

"Rachel... you can't do this!"

"Do what?"

"This! You can't just come back and expect it to be the same- for me to just fall all over you!"

"Luke, it's been so long! I figured you missed me!" He opened his mouth to protest but was distracted by the sound of a little girl's crying. He recognized that voice. He threw his head around to the window to find his daughter sitting on the sidewalk, slumped against the diner window, head in hands. All thoughts of Rachel flew out of his head as he ran out the door to comfort Rory.

"Rory?" She sniffled, "What happened, princess? Are you hurt? What's the matter?"

"Daddy... I really don't know..."

"You really don't know?"

"No, daddy. It's just... Ryan... and Marissa... and she's pretty... and nice... and... I don't even know what it is," she managed to cough out between sobs.

"Alright, sweetheart, come inside," for a moment, he saw the essence of the little daughter who had so quickly grown up in Rory's tear-flooded eyes, "Let's go inside. You want me to call Mom? This may be something she may be better at." She nodded as her father pulled her into a hug.

He helped Rory up and guided her into the diner, past Rachel, without remembering that she was there; his daughter was far more important. He led a still-crying Rory up the stairs and into her playroom, lying her on the couch, covering her with a blanket, and turning the TV on for her.

"You gonna be ok?" She nodded, "You want something to eat?"

"Pudding pie, please."

"Ok," he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Dad?" she sniffled.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"You too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inside, Rachel watched Luke intently. _It's so like Luke to help other people in need. Though he hates kids. It's probably a friend's kid. _

Logic told her that the little girl couldn't be Luke's. She had been around twelve years ago (which was her estimate as to the girl's age, give or take a year) , and had been with Luke, and for him to have been her father, he would've had to have cheated on her- and that was unlike Luke.

Luke led the girl behind the curtains and up the stairs. Rachel heard him speak to the kid, though she couldn't decipher what either was saying. Before she had a chance to become engrossed in her thoughts, she heard Luke's heavy footsteps descend down the stairs.

Rachel glanced up as Luke rushed past her, not giving her a second glance. As he took a piece of pie and put it on a plate, grabbing the phone, Rachel got his attention,

"That was really sweet, what you did for that little girl. I mean, I know you don't like..." Luke interrupted her,

"She's my daughter." Rachel was taken aback. Her fears were realized. Luke must've cheated on her. She decided, however, to stick around and get details.

"Oh... where's her mother?"

"Not here right now." He hastily dialed the phone, leaving Rachel alone with her thoughts for the moment. _He's a single father? At least that's honorable... Wow... I guess he's always been capable. I guess he just stepped up to the plate. _She listened to his conversation.

"Hey, it's me... Yeah... She's here... I don't know, I just saw her crying outside... Yeah, she said she wanted to talk to you... Ok... Yeah, you too... Bye..." Rachel wanted to talk... needed to talk,

"So, Luke, how old is she?"

"Rory? She's eleven."

"Rory?"

"She's named after her mother. It's short for Lorelai. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get back to my kid." He, again, rushed past her and up the stairs. Two minutes later, a thin brunette woman ran frantically through the door.

"Luke? Luke?"

"Can I help you?" Rachel asked. _He's with his kid. Give him a minute, lady. _

"Yeah, I'm looking for Luke Danes."

"He just ran upstairs for a minute."

"With Rory?"

"His kid?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah. He said he'll be..." She was again interrupted by Luke's footsteps.

"Hi," the brunette said eagerly.

"Hey. She's upstairs. She fell asleep, though."

"Good. Now that that's out of the way," she relaxed, "Hi," she leaned up and kissed him hello. Rachel's eyes went wide as she eyed the rings on the woman's left ring finger- one with diamonds, and the other obviously a wedding band, "What happened?"

"I don't know. Something about Ryan and... Marissa? Who's Marissa?"

"Isn't she that girl- her parents are visiting with Sandy and Kirsten?"

"Oh, that's right. Do you think Rory got in a fight with them?"

"No. I think she's jealous."

"Jealous?"

"I think she's jealous that Ryan's paying more attention to Marissa than to her."

"Ryan's not her boyfriend."

"Not in so many words. But you do realize that it's Ryan and Rory, Seth and Lane? Those are the 'it' couples of sixth grade?" Luke spat out a few incoherent sounds before instructing,

"Go upstairs. I can't talk about this." She giggled and climbed up the stairs.

"So that's your..."

"My wife? Yeah..."

"How long have you..."

"Seven years."

"Seven? I though you said your daughter was eleven?"

"Lorelai had Rory when she was sixteen. We met a few years later and got married."

"So, Rory's not _really _your daughter?" Luke glared at her,

"I adopted her officially when she was five. Either way, she's really my daughter."

"But, you're Luke Danes. You hate kids."

"Not my kid." A pause.

"So, there's no chance of us getting back together?" A shake of the head.

"Sorry."

"There's no seven-year itch?"

"Lorelai and Rory Danes leave no room for an itch."

"They took your name?"

"It's hyphenated, but they go by Danes."

"Ok..." another awkward pause, "So, I guess there's no more to say here... Do you mind if I just run upstairs and use your bathroom?" Luke nodded,

"You know where it is."

She ran up the stairs in a last-ditch attempt to see if this thing with his wife and daughter was for real. At the top of the stairs, she found the door to Luke's old "wallow room" wide open. She hesitated for a moment before going in there; she knew that Luke hated people going into that room, and that he had never let anyone touch any of his prized possessions in there; that was the room where he stored remnants of his parents. She had occasionally asked him to "focus on the future", but he had always scoffed, telling her that,

"When I have something to live for in the future, I'll change it." However, with the door ajar, she saw Lorelai, kneeling next to Rory. She glanced in before opening the door to Luke's apartment. The room was completely different. It had been painted a pale shade of purple, and there were childrens' drawings everywhere. Posters with Rory's name adorned the walls, along with pictures of Rory and various friends and family members. Rachel frowned; this was not at all the Luke that she knew. The Luke that she knew didn't hang pictures around the house; he had once gone so far to tell her,

"I know what you look like. I see you constantly. I don't need things on my wall to remind me who you are." She shrugged, though. I guess it's for his kid, so he did it.

As she slid into the office, she glanced at the walls. She gasped; the entire room was filled with photographs and sketchily-drawn children's art. There were pictures of Rory and Lorelai everywhere. At the park. Baby Rory. Grown-up Rory. Rory in costume. Rory on her father's shoulders. Rory with two little boys and another little girl that Rachel didn't recognize.

Where there weren't pictures of Rory, there were pictures of Lorelai. Wedding pictures. Lorelai and Luke kissing. Lorelai and Luke sitting, watching a movie. Lorelai and Luke with Rory. Lorelai and Luke with a couple that Rachel didn't recognize, who she could only assume were Rory's male friends' parents (due to some striking resemblances).

Framed crayon-drawn artwork covered other patches of nothingness. A picture of "My Family" by a four-year-old Rory Gilmore. Her mommy, her daddy, and her. An out-of-proportion self portrait by Rory Danes, age 7. And one that really caught Rachel's eye- a hand-made card that read, "To my daddy, the best one in the whole world. Love, Rory. Xes and Oes, your favorite princess. Father's day 1996."

Rachel made her way into the bathroom and looked herself into the mirror. Luke had grown up and left her behind, forcing her to stare at his happy, perfect family.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, Rory had awoken from her nap, refreshed and feeling better. She kissed her father goodbye and walked with her mom towards Doose's for movie night snacks.

"Rory, what was the matter?" Her mother asked abruptly.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Then what was that breakdown at the diner before?"

"It's... I don't really know."

"Was it over Ryan?" Rory stared at her shoes,

"Yeah... It's just... something about him being with Marissa really bothered me."

"You think that maybe... you're jealous?"

"Of what?"

"Marissa. Taking Ryan's attention."

"What?"

"You usually get all of Ryan's attention. Suddenly, Marissa has it. Are you... jealous, maybe?"

"Why would I be jealous of that?"

"Oh, I don't know... because you maybe... have a crush on Ryan?"

"I... what!"

"I don't know. He's your best friend. He's handsome. Is he... maybe... your first real crush? Other than Nick Carter? And Bryan Adams?"

"How did you know about those?"

"I've seen you kiss the posters."

"Hey, at least it's not an Oompa-Loompa."

"Now, now, don't turn on the mommy. Or I'll tell you all about my crush on your dad."

"Please don't."

"He's very handsome, and nice..."

"Mom..."

"And he seems to like you..."

"Mom..."

"And he's a really good kis..."

"Mom!"

"Sorry, sorry. So, about you and Ryan. I realized it a while ago. And Lane likes Seth."

"How did you..."

"The mommy knows."

"Ok... maybe I like him... a little," she finally admitted it, for the first time even to herself, "But don't tell him."

"I won't."

"Or dad."

"I won't."

"And especially not Kirsten and Sandy."

"Fine, fine. I'm gonna go tell Jess!"

"Mom!"

"What? You never said no Jess! Or Seth! Or Patty!"

"Mom, no one except you and me can know. Kapische?"

"Yeah, yeah, Uncle Jesse."

"Good... now let's go get some Red Vines to drive Dad crazy."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following Thursday night, the parents took their seats in the Stars Hollow Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room. The week had gone without major incident. The Coopers had come and gone (it almost seemed as though Caitlin hadn't been there at all), and Ryan and Rory got back to normal. Rory tried her best to make sure that nothing changed between herself and her best friend. Kirsten and Lorelai, both incredibly busy with work and a couple of growing children each, found very little time to sit and talk.

Luke, the self-appointed videographer, lef his wife and friends to the second row. His camera in hand, he waited for the lights to go off and the music to start while he listened to Lorelai and Kirsten talk,

"So, Rory told me what's been bothering her."

"What is it?"

"I promised I wouldn't tell. But it has to do with..." Kirsten understood immediately, and grinned broadly (she would call it idiotically), nodding. They glanced over at Seth and Lane, perusing a pile of CDs, talking animatedly about which Beatles LP was the best, "Looks like both of your boys are hot commodities." Kirsten laughed, and Sandy glanced over, merely shaking his head at the women's mindset. Luke, choosing to ignore the reference to his only child having a boyfriend, was thrilled when the lights turned off and he heard Rory's familiar voice,

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby..." They watched as the kids nailed their lines, the only mess-up being Kirk (dressed as the wizard), stepping on Seth's tail. Seth laughed it off and continued with his lines.

Watching Seth sing, "If I Were the King of the Forest" was truly the funniest moment of the day. He sang with great inflection, enunciating as in the movie, pretending to be a lion. Everyone laughed as he stood on his tip-toes and changed his height as he sang, "Not king," the tallest, "not duke," slightly shorter, "not queen," back to his regular height. Seth had a knack for comedy.

All of the adults cheered as the four linked arms and began to sing,

"We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz."

Luke felt himself beam with pride as Rory easily switched emotions from happiness, to excitement, to anger, to sorrow at the drop of a hat. Miss Patty was right. Rory was pretty good at acting.

When the final curtain call was called, the "Kelly Road Posse", more formally known around school as "Four of the Inseperable Five," all stepped forward to take a bow. Rory blushed as her father brought her flowers. As everyone cleared the stage, Ryan grabbed the mike, as he had been instructed to do by Taylor, and stated clearly,

"Please stay seated for one encore song," He replaced the mike and ran over to Rory, whispering, "It's go time," and giving Lane the signal. She nodded twice to imply that she understood, and the Kelly Road Posse stepped back onto the stage.

Taylor braced himself for the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to begin; the plan was for the four children to sing a harmony. He was taken aback, however, when a rap beat with no music began to play. Rory, Jess, Ryan, and Seth pulled oversized sunglasses out from behind their backs and put them on, then putting on do-rags. Seth stepped forward first,

"Yo yo... somewhere over the rainbow, fools..."

"Way up high, homie!" Ryan shrieked.

"There's a land that I've hizzeard of," Jess rapped.

"Once in a lulla-lulla-lullaby," Rory did her best to act like a rapper. Then their true song came through. They all began to rap together.

"We're the Kelly Road Posse and we're here to say, we're so cool- get out of our way. There's Jess, the bookworm, and trouble-maker, too. The new kid that just joined the crew. Then, Seth, the one, with music and books, who can make you laugh with a thousand looks," they paused as Seth began to make faces at the audience, "Then Lane, our behind-the-scenes girl, is sure to throw you for a whirl. Ryan, blondie, brother of Seth, playing sports is what he does the best," Ryan imitated sports movements as Taylor shook his head in defeat, "Last but not least is Rory Danes- she's sure to win at any game. CHEATER!" Rory laughed and stuck her tongue out at the crowd, "We live in Stars Hollow, it's mad cool yo. We go to the diner or the gazebo! We'll probably get in trouble for singing this song, but Taylor, don't you think this play's a little long?" They hit final poses as the crowd erupted in cheers, the Danes and Cohen families laughing and shaking their heads,

"We raised them?" Kirsten checked.

"We raised them," Lorelai confirmed.

"I guess it's back to normal now."

"Thank heavens."


	14. Sick and Tired

_A/N- I'm sooooo sorry for the late update. I've been sick and my grandparents are visiting and my parents have needed me to work at the ice cream store and oh, yeah, I had SATs on Saturday. The essay was the stupidest thing ever. Does work affect what you do? Yes... oh, you want more than that? Arrrrgh... Welcome to the new Millennium._

_A/N 2- It's Ryan/Rory, Seth/Lane. I just thought it'd be adorable this way. And it's Jess/Original Character loosely based off of my little cousin (Because we were watching GG the other day, and Ally goes "WOAH! Jess is hot! I never noticed that before! Can you make me be his girlfriend in the story?" I was like, I'm so proud of you) I will have Chilton. I'm not sure if I'll have Summer. I'll see if I can bring her in somehow in the future. But thanks for giving me more to work with :). Yes, that is how to spell Kapische. I spell-checked, lol. _

_A/N 3- The rap song? Completely random and because I needed a prank. I'm glad you all liked it, though. I got mocked endlessly by Ally. Woops. Haha I love her anyway._

_Dedicated- to Ally because she and I slept in the same twin bed this weekend and she curled up in the fetal position. Ow. And to Chelsea cuz it's her birthday and she danced with me to Disney music this weekend._

_Disclaimer- My throat hurts... Oh, that's right. I own nothing._

Sick and Tired

"Boys, it's time to get up!" Sandy called as he walked down the hall, knocking rhythmically on each of his sons' bedroom doors. He opened the door to Seth's room, knowing that, while that ritual was enough to wake Ryan, it took much more to rouse Seth.

He found his son muttering Beatles lyrics in his sleep, and he shook Seth's shoulder gently.

"Seth, up, it's time for school."

"No, no, I don't want to go to the zoo..." a very sleepy Seth murmured.

"Well, that's good, because you have school."

"Don't want to go there either."

"Tough. I need you and your brother to get jobs and money to support your mother and me when we get old and gray. In order to do that, you need to go to school and learn enough to get good jobs."

"Wait a minute, dad. _When _you're old and gray ?" Sandy threw a pillow at his son before reminding him,

"Bar Mitzvah lessons after school." Seth groaned as his father laughed manically. Confident that Seth was now awake (as much as could be expected), Sandy wandered down the stairs and into the kitchen, proceeding to cook breakfast for his family.

Ten minutes later, a sleepy-looking Seth trudged down the stairs. He yawned and waved a tired "Good Morning" to his father.

"Eggs will be ready in a minute. Where's your brother?" Seth laid his head down on his arm, resting comfortably on the granite countertop.

"Who?"

"Your brother? Blonde? Blue eyes? About half an inch shorter than you? Answers to the name 'Ryan'? Your best friend since birth?"

"Doesn't ring a bell."

"Seth," his father said warningly.

"I haven't seen him, dad."

"He wasn't in the bathroom?" Seth shook his head as best he could against his arm, "And he wasn't in the hallway?" Another shake of the head, "Was the door to his room open?" Yet another head shake.

Sandy gave Kirsten a perplexed glance as she skipped down the stairs, fully dressed. As she leaned over to kiss Seth's forehead, she stood back up, suddenly confused,

"One's missing."

"You mean, you didn't see Ryan either?"

"Is he not up?"

"I guess not..."

"That's so unlike him..."

"I guess he's just tired."

"I'm gonna go check on him. See if I can wake him up," she glanced down at Seth, whose eyes were now closed again, "You work on this one."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ryan?" Kirsten said tentatively as she opened the door to Ryan's room. No answer, "Honey, are you ok?" A groan, "Ry, c'mon, it's time for school. Don't turn into Seth on us now. Dad and I have enough to deal with trying to get him off to school," She put her hand on her son's forehead to stroke his hair, but instinctively pulled it away, surprised by his forehead's warmth, "Sweetheart, are you ok?" He moaned,

"Yeah, mom. I'm fine." He was spurned into a coughing fit.

"You are not fine. You're sick!"

"What? No, I can't be sick. My Bar Mitzvah is in two weeks! I'll miss lessons!" He paused for a second and reconsidered, "Maybe I am sick..."

"I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?"

"To get the thermometer!" Ryan groaned audibly; that thing always reminded him of the time that Seth got sick- every time their mother put the thermometer in his mouth, he vomited. His mom had been concerned, but Ryan was fairly sure that his brother had been doing it on purpose. Either way, Ryan considered it disgusting.

Kirsten hurried back in, a glass of ice water in one hand, a clear thermometer in the other, her hand moving rapidly up and down, shaking down the thermometer.

"Mom, please!" Ryan pleaded.

"Ryan, you have to take your temperature."

"Mom... that's the throw-up thermometer of 1999!"

"Well, it's 2000 now. No longer the throw-up thermometer."

"Mom!"

"Ryan!" He could tell he wasn't getting anywhere with this, so he tried a new approach- emotional,

"Mommy, pleeeease."

"Ryan Nicholas, that's not going to work."

"Mooom."

"Ryan- mouth, thermometer, now." He knew the tone in his mother's voice. It was the same one she took whenever he and Seth went one prank too far. He obeyed, cringing as the cold glass slid under his tongue. Trying his hardest not to gag, he scratched thoughtlessly at a random spot on his arm- anything to take his mind off the fact that this was _the _thermometer. He made a mental note to buy a new thermometer as his mother began to ask him,

"So, what are you most excited about for your Bar Mitzvah?" Ryan was about to answer before remembering the thermometer in his mouth; he had done a good job of distracting himself. He rolled his eyes pointedly at his mother, who nodded understandingly, "Right, right." They sat in near-silence for a moment, aside from a few murmurings from Kirsten about how, "Your rug needs to be vacuumed" and "Remind me later to put carrots on the shopping list."

After three minutes, Kirsten pulled the thermometer out of Ryan's mouth and found what she had been expecting.

"101.2. No school for you today, Mr. Cohen."

"Does that mean no Bar Mitzvah lessons?"

"Yeah."

"Yes!"

"Your dad is so proud of how you and Seth are proud of your heritage."

"Hey, it's not the heritage we don't like. It's the three hours a day, four days a week sitting in the 'Stars Hollow Religious Gathering Area' with Rabbi Miller that bothers us." Kirsten shook her head, laughing.

"Back to sleep. Now."

"No arguments here."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, what's the matter with him?" Rory asked Seth as they sat down at a table in the diner.

"Mom said he has the flu. He's got a fever, he's sneezing, and he's got a really bad cough. I also heard my mom tell my dad to 'expect vomit. A lot of vomit.'" Rory winced,

"Breakfast, Seth. We just ate breakfast."

"You asked for the facts."

"I also once asked for a pony, Seth, but I didn't get that. I got a stick with a horse's head on it. Basic. So, give me a stick with a horse's head on it."

"Ew."

"You know what I mean."

"Bad word choice."

"Fine. So, in simple words?"

"In simple words, Ryan is sick. He's missing school today and tomorrow. He should be better by Monday."

"Much better, Sethie." Luke meandered up to their table.

"Hey, you two. Where's Ryan?"

"Home sick."

"With what?"

"Flu or... something."

"Ahh, brotherly love."

"You say potato, I say I'm not going near Ryan's room until my mom tells me it won't end with me calling Ralph on the big white phone."

"Seth!" Luke yelled.

"Ew!" Rory echoed.

"That's gross. You two, go to school. Before I lovk you in your room until the quarantine is over, He added, glancing pointedly at Rory.

"Let's go pick up Lane and Jess. Where are they, anyway?"

"Where are they, anyway?"

"Looking at CDs at her house," Rory carelessly answered. Noticing Seth's downcast look (it was obvious that Seth liked Lane as much as Rory like Ryan), she quickly added, "He needed that one Rolling Stones CD that we didn't have for a school project. She said she'd lend it to him." Seth relaxed and asked,

"How did he get past the Warden?"

"Esther," Rory stated simply.

"Why did you guys name the tree?" asked Luke. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand his daughter and her friends.

"Not us. Rory."

"I'm not surprised."

"Dad, can I have a donut before I go?"

"You already had breakfast at home."

"No I didn't."

"Then who was jumping on my bed this morning going, 'Waffles, dad, I want waffles. Waffles, waffles, waffles'?"

"Mom?"

"There were two bodies jumping."

"And... Seth?"

"Hey, don't blame me. I was making sure I didn't get thrown up on by Ryan Sickolas Cohen."

"Pleeeeeeease, daddy?"

"No. I will not let you eat like your mother does."

"You're mean."

"You'll live. School. Now. Don't forget, I need our help today after school. Remind your cousin." Rory pretended to be angry, huffily throwing her books in her bookbag.

Though she put on a good show, Luke only laughed; he could tell when Rory was actually mad and when she was faking in a vain attempt to get her way. When she realized that she wasn't going to be getting a donut, she leaned up and kissed her father's cheek,

"You're a mean father. I'm calling DYFS."

"Well, just do it after school. Lunch money is for lunch, not for calling people to say I'm abusing you on the payphone."

"Bye, dad."

"Bye, kids."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Here you go, _Aftermath _by the Rolling Stones. Great for jamming, rocking out, or using in a history project," Lane told Jess as she handed him the disc and put her floorboard back in place.

"Thanks so much, Lane. If I didn't do well on this project, my uncle would kill me."

"Not to mention your aunt."

"Oh, yeah. I can't decide which is worse. When it's just my uncle disciplining, it winds up with me helping out at the diner. Or when my aunt disciplines, it's usually chores around the house. My two all-time favorites, though, are when they do it together and they form this weird wall of anger and they make me sit down in front of them while they talk, or when they do tag-team. My aunt comes in and does the lecturing thing, then she tells me to 'Wait until my uncle finds out' in this really creepy voice and then, when he gets home, he comes into my room and gives me another lecture. Those are really terrific." He said sarcastically.

"Yeah. It's not really like that in my house. My mama usually does all the discipline. I see my papa maybe once a week, at most."

"What does he do?"

"Not really sure. He's around, somewhere, all week, just kinda lurking, and then he'll randomly come out, mumble something in Korean, eat some soy, and then disappear again."

"Not so close with him?"

"He called me 'Jane' last week while muttering something about the decline of the Korean economy. Usually, it's just my mama who does all the lecturing." Jess paused for a second before adding questioningly,

"I don't think I've ever met your papa."

"Not many people have. Rory did. Once. When we were six. My mama had to go to a 'Christian Koreans Church Banquet' and Rory's mom and dad had to go out, so my papa watched us. That was the only time, though."

"What's he like?"

"Korean," Lane said without hesitation, "That's about all I know... Hey, who are you working on the project with?"

"Alexis. You know her?"

"Alexis Leigh?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I do," Jess paused for a second before asking cautiously, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Oooh, a secret? Sure, I love secrets!"

"You can't tell anyone."

"I won't."

"Not Ryan. Not Seth."

"Nope."

"Especially not Rory."

"I promise. Jess, just tell me!"

"I think..." he inhaled before blurting out, "I think I like Ally!"

"Ally _Leigh_, Ally?"

"Yeah." He sighed; it felt good to get that off of his chest. He had wanted to tell someone for a while, but he knew he couldn't tell the Cohen boys; they'd surely tell Rory. His uncle? Luke would give him an hour-long lecture on how to treat a girl. His aunt? There would be a _lot_ of teasing, followed by an hour's worth of kissing noises and singing "Jess and Ally sitting in a tree...". His cousin? Rory would tell Lorelai, and then they'd do a round of "Jess and Ally sitting in a tree...". At least with Lane, he could trust that she wouldn't make fun of him and most likely wouldn't tell Rory.

"That's..." Jess dreaded the next words she was going to say. Weird? Stupid? Ridiculous? "so cool!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" He inhaled again before decidedly continuing,

"It's so weird, Lane. I love to be with her. She's pretty and smart and funny. And when I'm not with her, I'm thinking about her." Lane sighed,

"That's awesome... I wish I had someone who would think about me whenever I wasn't around." Jess's jaw dropped,

"Lane..." he said tentatively.

"Yeah?"

"Seth," he said simply but pointedly.

"What? Is he here?" She looked around, trying to find her friend.

"No, Lane. He _likes _you."

"What? No, no he doesn't!"

"Yeah, Lane. He does. Wake up and smell the Cohen."

"Ew."

"Get over it. Seth likes you."

"No!"

"Lane, you've never seen the way he looks at you when you're not looking at you. He always talks about you. He really, really likes you."

"That's just your opinion, Jess."

"Rory thinks so, too. We talked about it."

"You _talked _about it?"

"All good stuff. There's only so many episodes of _The Fat Ladies _that we can watch with Lorelai before it gets old. We need something to talk about."

"Glad I can be of service."

"Lane, get over it... Hey... do you like Seth?" She paused and inhaled before saying slowly,

"Secret?"

"If you keep mine."

"Yeah... I do." Jess smiled broadly,

"I want you to repeat after me, 'I, Lane Kim, like Seth Cohen'."

"Jess..."

"Lane, now."

"Fine... I, Lane Kim, like Seth Cohen'."

"'And Seth Cohen likes me'."

"Jess, I don't think you're really what he's looking for."

"Lane, say it..." She took a long pause before continuing,

"And Seth Cohen... is right there," she said, pointing to the window where Seth had suddenly appeared. Jess swung his head around to see Seth waving feverishly at them, perched on a tree branch, Rory's brown ponytail bobbing below it.

"Thank heavens for Esther," Lane muttered before joining her friends in their walk to school.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan sat straight up in bed upon hearing the noise.

The clank of the trays and plates distracted him from his television, the rustle of his mother's footsteps coming ever closer.

He knew what this meant. Food that he didn't want to eat, and medicine that he didn't want to take. He momentarily grappled with the idea of locking the door before his mom could enter, but he reconsidered upon realizing that he'd still be locked in his room after he got better due to severe grounding.

"Lunch is served, Master Cohen," Kirsten said in a mock-butler's voice, pushing the door to his bedroom open with her elbow. He sat up, pushing his back against his headboard, sitting himself on a few pillows. As he settled in, his mother placed a tray filled with food in front of him, "Here, you go, sweetheart. Orange juice for your nose, water for your throat, crackers for your stomach, and the Nana's Matzoh Ball soup. Homemade." Ryan eyed his mother warily, "Dad made it before he left. Don't worry." He nodded appreciatively, "How do you feel?"

"Sick. Tired. Throw-uppy."

"Throw-uppy's not a word, sweetheart." Ryan threw her a glare, telling her instantly that he didn't care, "Have you thrown up again?"

"No."

"How does your head feel?"

"Hurts."

"Ok, sweetheart. You're so tired- you should go back to sleep," he nodded, "But first," he groaned- he knew what was coming next, "You need to take your medicine."

"Uggggh," he whined.

"Cherry or grape?" she ignored his complaint. He shrugged,

"Neither."

"Grape it is, then." As she turned away to pour his medicine, he grabbed her arm.

"Cherry, please."

"Sure, sweetheart."

"Hey, mom?"

"Yeah, Ry?"

"I hate being sick."

"No one likes it."

"Seth does."

"Well, it's why he's Seth."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke glanced up, hearing the jingling of the bells as the door to the diner opened. He heard two familiar voices intermingled with one unfamiliar ones; they belonged to two familiar brunette heads and one unfamiliar fairer-haired one.

He sauntered over to their table, kissing Rory on the head and ruffling Jess's hair affectionately,

"Hey, guys. How was school?"

"Good."

"Okay."

"Luke, this is Ally," Jess introduced the girl he had entered with, "She's my partner for my history project."

"Hey, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Danes."

Luke took a good look at the girl. She was a bit shorter than Rory, though he knew that Rory was tall for her age. Her dirty blonde hear was pulled back in a meticulous pony-tail, highlighting her freckles. Her brown eyes sparkled with flecks of green that reflected her green t-shirt and green belt tucked into her jeans.

"Please, call me Luke."

"Oh, thanks, Luke. I actually have to go. Jess and Rory just wanted to show me your diner. I'll be back, I promise."

"You've never been here before?"

"My family just moved here last month."

"Ok, well, it's nice to meet you."

"You too. Bye, Rory. Bye, Jess."

"Bye, Ally." Jess walked the girl to the door and watched her as she walked away.

Luke, though he saw "the look" in his nephew's eyes, shook Jess from his reverie,

"Jess, c'mere a sec."

"Yeah, Luke?"

"Your mom called today."

"Liz called?" Jess asked, a bit of edge evident in his voice, "What did she want?"

"Yeah, she called. Could you please call her mom? She is your mother, after all," Jess merely shrugged, "Anyway, she's going to be in town on Saturday... she wants to spend the day with you?"

"With me?"

"Yeah, with you."

"She's actually going to show this time?"

"Jess..."

"No, no, Uncle Luke. I'll go. I'll believe it when I see it, but I'll go." Jess stormed away, leaving Luke upset at his nephew's reaction.

_Liz, this kid doesn't deserve this. The flightiness was cute when you were a kid, but your son needs you. Don't flake out this time._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey, do you think we've been spending enough time with Rory lately?" Luke asked Lorelai later that night as she sat sipping coffee in the diner. Rory was at Lane's for a bit and the diner was close to closing.

"What?"

"Rory. It's just that, since Jess has been here, it feels like she hasn't been getting as much downtime with us as she did before. It always feels like we're chasing after Jess- making sure he's not getting into trouble, doing well in school. I feel like we never fuss over her like we used to.

"I don't think she minds. She understands. She definitely gets downtime. Besides, we spend way more time with her than most parents do with their twelve-year-olds."

"Still... I feel like she was an only child for ten years. Then , bam! She's got to divide the attention."

"She's been watching Seth and Ryan for years already. She has role models. Good ones."

"But that's different. Seth and Ryan have been brothers since birth." She paused and reconsidered,

"Have you heard her say anything about it?"

"No..."

"Has she been acting any differently?"

"No..."

"Has she given you any indication that this might be true?"

"I can see it in her eyes."

"Honey, I think she's fine. But if you want us to all go out as a family when Liz is here, we can go to the mall. Rory needs a new outfit for Seth and Ryan's Bar Mitzvah anyway."

"Thank you," he said as he leaned over the counter to kiss her lightly.

"You're welcome. But... since you brought it up, I'm sure Rory would love if her daddy paid," She stood up and ran out the door before he could respond, "Bye, sweetie!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hello? Rory! You here?" Lane called into the empty house on Saturday afternoon as she opened the door. She tiptoed in. There was still the possibility that Rory was hanging out downstairs with Jess.

She jumped back when she heard a different voice than expected,

"Her parents took her out shopping," Seth casually meandered into the foyer, a sandwich in hand, "Man, I wish my dad owned a diner. There's always good food here."

"Seth!" Lane screamed, fixing her now-askew glasses and pushing him, causing him to stumble backwards.

"Woah! Lane! What's the matter?"

"What the heck are you doing here!"

"Ryan's still sick! Luke and Lorelai said I could hang out here today!"

"You gave me a heart attack!"

"I'm a heart_breaker_."

"Uggh, Seth. Always modest."

"You don't think I'm a heartbreaker?" Seth asked, masking his crestfallen gaze with a joke.

"I didn't say _that,_" Lane flirted. _Flirted? Oh G-d. I'm flirting? I'm flirting with Seth? Stop! He doesn't even like me like that! No matter what Jess and Rory say. But then again... Rory doesn't even realize that Ryan likes her... Lane Kim, stop! Mama would kill me... all the more reason... _"So, where's Jess, then?"

"His mom's in town. He's out with her... Do you want to hang out? I mean, I'm sure Luke and Lorelai won't mind..." _C'mon, Seth. Be a little bit more obvious... Ryan would kill me if he saw me flat-out falling all over her like this. _

"Oh, yeah, thanks. It's soy and tofu night at the Kim household. At least you and I could have sandwiches or something."_ Or maybe a nice picnic... Lane Kim, STOP!_

"Oh, Luke and Lorelai should be back to cook dinner later. We're 'welcome to stay'." _I'd rather just hang out alone with you._

"Sure. That'd be fun."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess and Liz walked side-by-side in Stars Hollow, neither touching the other. Jess felt a pang of remorse; whenever he walked through town with Luke and Lorelai, there was always an arm around his shoulder, and affectionate ruffle of the hair, or Rory's incessant tugging on his arm to get him to their destination quicker. With his mother, he walked in awkward silence, permeated only by momentary small talk. With his aunt and cousin, it was never silent. There was no need for small talk.

"So," Liz started cautiously, "You like school?"

"Yeah, my teacher's pretty nice. Rory's not in my class, though. As much as she tried to be," he laughed at the memory before realizing his mother was staring at him in confusion, "I'm sorry."

"No, no. Don't worry about it. What happened?" Jess paused,

"Well, you know that Rory and some of our friends have a habit of pulling pranks."

"Oh, yeah. Luke told me about what you guys did at the play last year." She stopped and waited for Jess to continue, obviously not realizing her slip.

Lorelai had convinced Jess to call Liz and invite her to see "The Wizard of Oz" the previous year. Liz had told him she'd "try and be there- 99 sure I will", but the day before the show, she had called and canceled.

Though he put up a tough front to his aunt (who had promptly taken him out to a "Lorelai-and-Jess ice cream banquet"), he was secretly crushed. His aunt Lorelai was terrific, and he lover her to pieces, but he occasionally just wanted his mother to be there.

He pushed the familiar buried feelings away before explaining,

"Well, we have these friends, Lane, Seth, and Ryan, and we spend, like, every day together. We're all really close. So, at the beginning of the year, we found out that Lane and I were in one class, and Ryan, Seth, and Rory were in the other. So, the second day of school, they all come in dressed in all black. Seth was like, 'We're going to be stealth'.

"So, right after we take attendance, Ryan comes in, and he takes one of the desks in the back, like it's the most normal thing in the world. Then Rory comes in and does the same thing. Seth came in last. He kinda rolled into the room."

"He rolled?" Liz laughed.

"Mission Impossible," Jess explained quickly, "So, the teacher goes, 'What are you three doing in here?' And Seth goes, 'We're in this class.' So the teacher goes, 'No, you aren't.' And Ryan was like, 'Aye, mate, we are. I'm Kangaroo McDingo' in this really bad Australian accent. Mr. Wallace goes, 'Aren't you Ryan Cohen?'." He began to inflict his voice to present the different characters, "No, no, didn't you hear him? He's Kangaroo" he imitated Rory.

"'Aren't you Rory Danes?'" He imitated Mr. Wallace.

"'No. I am Miss Muffet. Miss Delilah Muffet. Have you seen my tuffet?'" He pretended to be Rory again.

"'I know your father. I eat at his diner twice a week. I've seen pictures of you together. You _are_ Rory Danes!'" Mr. Wallace again.

"'You're really bad at names, aren't you? That's Kangaroo. That's Delilah.'" This time he made his voice a bit higher to imitate Seth.

"'And who are you today?'" Mr. Wallace.

"'Arnold Drummond's the name, sir.'" Seth.

"Ok, now that's just weird. Aren't you Seth Cohen? You're _his _brother!'" Mr. Wallace. Jess returned to his normal voice to finish the story, "And then, Mrs. Kellan, their teacher, runs in and brings them all back to their room. It was great," he laughed.

Liz looked at the son who she barely knew. There was something different- a sparkle in his eye. He was really happy. He was being a kid.

She felt a pang of guilt knowing that, as a mother, she had been the child. Her son had been the parent.

Jess was the kid now.

And he was happy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke walked behind Rory and Lorelai as they shopped in Old Navy, having just finished their escapade in Nordstrom (The result of which was a new black blouse and white skirt outfit, a pair of jeans, and two t-shirts for Rory, though she had to be forced to allow her parents to buy her those outfits). Luke waited for Rory to attack the skirts and sweaters that she was so fond of, but instead, she veered off to the boys' section.

"Rory, are you trying a new look? Or just telling us to start calling you Larry instead of Rory?" Lorelai joked.

"No, no. Jess would love this shirt, don't you think?"

"Yeah, sweets, he would, but don't you want to shop?"

"I am. Jess's birthday is coming up."

"Rory, sweetheart, Daddy and I got Jess's presents already. A whole bunch of stuff."

"But, I don't need anything else. I have clothes. Jess's birthday comes before mine anyway."

"We know," Luke said.

"Dad and I just thought you'd like a shopping day. Just the three of us."

"Oooookay..." She glanced at her father's reaction, expecting to see eyes rolling and a look that suggested that he'd only do this for his family. To her surprise, however, he nodded encouragingly,

"Go ahead, Ror. Try on some of those purple skirts over there. They'd look really good with that purple and white sweater."

"Honey, do _you _want to shop in this section?" Lorelai hugged Luke's arm while joking playfully with him. Luke only sighed,

"Rory, go shop."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"No way is Ned Flanders better than Ralph Wiggum!" Seth yelled at Lane as they sat on the floor of the den, a bowl of popcorn between them.

"Flanders is totally better than Wiggum, Seth. Ralph Wiggum is there for stupid jokes."

"You only like Flanders because he makes fun of everything that your mom stands for."

"So? You only like Ralph Wiggum because he's..."

"Pure genius!" Seth interrupted.

"I was going to say 'Full of stupid humor', but whatever floats your boat."

"You can't not like Ralph. It just doesn't work like that, Lane."

"I don't know... maybe you can show me some time," Lane suggested, her tone flirting again.

"Maybe," he answered, suddenly a bit more relaxed. There was a nice pause between them. It wasn't uncomfortable; it was more of a silent understanding of their feelings.

"So... we should watch something else. This show make us fight too much." Seth nodded and stood up, taking out the Simpsons tape and grabbing the remote control.

"Lane, Fresh Prince reruns or Rugrats reruns?"

"Fresh Prince. I can't deal with any more Tommy Pickles for the moment. My little cousins came over and it was the only show that my mom let us watch. Even then she kept a close eye on us." Seth laughed and sat back down across from her. They sat in silence for a moment, watching the antics of Will and Carlton before they both, simultaneously, reached into the popcorn bowl.

Lane's cheeks flushed.

Seth's stomach flipped.

Lane couldn't believe it. It was like _Lady and the Tramp._

Seth couldn't believe it. It was like he'd hoped it'd happen.

Their eyes met, each staring deep into the other's chocolate brown eyes.

They inched their faces closer together.

_I can't believe this is about to happen, _thought Lane.

_Today, I am a man, _thought Seth, _I don't need the Bar Mitzvah. Today I get my girl. _

They came closer... and closer... and closer... until...

They jumped away from each other at the sound of the door opening. Seth silently cursed the Danes family for preventing him from kissing Lane. It was the perfect moment. He'd probably never find a better one.

"Hey, Seth, we're home!" Lorelai called as she rounded the corner, "Oh, Lane, I didn't know you were here. What's up, kid?"

"Nothing, Lorelai."

"Ok, well, you're welcome to stay for dinner."

"Thanks."

Seth and Lane glanced at each other.

They wouldn't talk about it.

Not just yet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sunday morning, Luke and Lorelai woke up at the same time, both smiling as they took in the scene in front of them.

Jess had fallen asleep on the easy chair right next to Luke; Liz was downstairs in his room.

Lorelai fell asleep on the couch, her feet up on the coffeetable.

Luke had fallen asleep on the opposite side in the same position.

Rory was curled up, her head on her father's chest, a blanket covering her midriff, and her feet resting comfortably on her mother's lap. In her sleep, she muttered,

"I love you, daddy."

"Hey, Luke... I thinkwe found what she really wants."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next week came with a flurry of activity. Liz had left, thanking Luke and Lorelai for 'everything' with a wink. Ryan had gotten better, but not before having a Dimetapp-induced heart-to-heart with Seth.

"So, you almost kissed her?" Ryan asked, his covers askew over his tired body.

"Yeah. Pretty close. Then Lorelai came in." Seth blushed; he couldn't bring himself to meet Ryan's eye.

"My little brother's all grown up," Ryan joked.

"I'm an hour and twelve minutes older than you are!"

"You'll always be my little brother."

"No, you're still my little brother."

"Why's that?"

"Because you still haven't made your move on Rory."

"I'm working on it. We're almost thirteen. In Dad's religion, I'm still a boy. Give me time. I'll do it when I'm ready... Ok, little brother?"

"I'm not your little brother! You're just all hyped up on cold medicine. Get back to sleep. Mom will kill us both if you aren't better for the Bar Mitzvah."

Come Saturday, Ryan was fully recovered, and the party had been put into place, a whole bunch of last-minute preparations fixed by Kirsten.

The ceremony was beautiful, but the party was a blast.

At Miss Patty's dance studio, the entire town came out to celebrate the event. The theme was "TV, Movies, and Music," and Ryan, Seth, Lane, Jess, and Rory were seated at the table deemed "The Beatles: #1 for all eternity".

The adults watched as the kids sat, chatted, danced, and ate.

"Can you believe they're teenagers already?" Kirsten asked Lorelai.

"I think we've done a pretty good job. Don't you agree?"

"Totally."

"I'm proud of us."

"Me too."

"So, you know that Seth tried to kiss Lane the other day, right?"

"He WHAT?"

"Your son... was almost a man. I walked in on them on Saturday. They were this close." Kirsten sighed,

"Welcome to the teen years, also known as insanity, party of four."

"And we love them anyway."


	15. The Trouble With Love

_A/N- Another hectic week, another late update. I'm sorry sorry sorry sorry! But this chapter at least gives you some of what you want... I hope... Ok, I'm going to finish this then go to bed, cuz it's after eleven here, and we had a bomb threat in my school on Friday and we were outside for three hours. I called my sister-in-law and wished her a happy birthday while I sat there. Then I had my cousin's Bat Mitzvah this weekend... Yeah, Ally, we screwed up the poem. Nice. It was still awesome though._

_A/N 2- There is more Rory/Ryan in this chapter, I promise! I just really felt, last chapter, like I didn't have enough Seth/Lane or Seth at all, so I needed some in there. Hopefully, this chapter will quench all of your fanfiction needs. Oh, and I did indeed get the hippo out of the pool (Wait, you don't have a hippo. Or a pool... Oh. Right. Never mind... LOL Ally)_

_Disclaimer- I own nothing regarding the OC or GG, despite what my friends believe._

The Trouble with Love

"Do you think they'll like it?" Rory asked Ryan, tugging at her rising shirt as she took out the Disney Princess plates that she had hidden in her bookshelf.

"Yeah, I think it's a really good surprise. They'll appreciate it," he answered, eyeing the questionably-themed flatware that she had purchased, "Remind me again why we let you go shopping for the plates?" She climbed down from her wooden perch,

"Two reasons. One- Otherwise, I would've been the one buying the food and you said that, as much as you love sugar, you couldn't deal with a Rory Danes dinner. Two- I threatened to make you go see _On the Line _with me if you didn't let me decorate. You caved like a little girl."

"Oh, that's right. Now I remember."

"Yeah, my dad reacted the same way when I asked him if I could go see the movie on my own and he told me no. For some reason, no one wants to see it."

"There's something oddly unsettling about Lance Bass not being able to find a girlfriend. Joey Fatone or Chris Kirkpatrick, I could imagine. But Lance? Everyone knows he's one of the pretty three of the five." Rory eyed him curiously,

"I'm going to move past that comment and vow to never mention it again."

"Deal. So, how long until they come home?"

"My dad said that they're all going out until five and that they'd be back with dinner."

"Ok. So we have an hour left," He paused for a second, considering what still needed to be done, before screaming, "Seth!"

"Ahhh!" A loud crashing sound came from the kitchen. As Ryan and Rory jumped, Seth called back, "I'm ok! I'm ok! I just dropped a few balloon weights! My toe will eventually get back to normal!"

As Seth's footsteps hobbled towards her room, Rory was compelled to mention,

"Sometimes I can't believe you two are related."

Seth, rounding the corner, glanced at the pink plates in Rory's hand,

"Someone want to tell me why we let you buy the plates?" She sighed,

"And sometimes it's so obvious that it's painful."

"_On the Line_," Ryan reminded his brother.

"Ahh, yes." They heard the back door open.

"Jess?" Rory called out tentatively. Jess was out picking up the framed pictures that they had had made.

"Lane!" Lane's voice corrected as the door closed again.

"What's our selection?"

"An assortment of Beatles, some Al Green, a bit of Aerosmith, and a little bit of Spice Girls."

"Spice Girls?" Seth and Ryan glanced at each other in confusion.

"For old time's sake. Lorelai loves Spice Girls."

"She does?" Seth asked.

"Don't you remember the Halloween where she dressed me up as Baby Spice and she dressed up as Posh Spice?"

"Oh, that's right. She spent the entire night posing without saying a word." Ryan nodded, intrigued by the memory,

"Oh, yeah! And didn't she also dress your dad up as that guy from the movie?"

"Well, she tried to dress him up like Clifford, but he wound up looking like a guy from the CIA. Which was actually kinda funny, so it was ok."

They heard the back door open again, a relaxed Jess announcing his presence with a,

"Honey, I'm home!"

"You need to stop watching _Lucy_ reruns with my mom."

"Sorry, they're addicting," he answered, strolling into the room.

"Just stop before you start wearing the Fred Murtz pants-up-to-your-neck look."

"Really? I think it's sexy," Lane joked.

"I'm more into the Ethel Murtz polka-dotted dress, feathered-hat look," Seth said sarcastically. Ryan took in the scene before him,

"Hi, I'm Ryan. Now, I know you might not know me, but I've been sent here to help you set up for the surprise for our parents. We have a limited amount of time for that, but an infinite amount of time to talk about _I Love Lucy. _So, lets go on with the more time-sensitive issue."

"It's official. You can no longer hang out with dad," Seth said, rolling his eyes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Surprise!" The kids screamed as the front door opened.

"Oh my... what's going on?" Kirsten asked as she and the other adults entered the house.

"What is this?" asked Luke incredulously, taking in his surroundings.

There was a sign that read "Happy New Year" with the last two words crossed out, replaced by the word "Anniversary" in Rory's neat handwriting. Balloons reading "Al's Pancake World" occupied the corners of the den. Piles of junk food, pizza, vegetables, and dip sat on the coffee table.

"Happy 'Kelly Road Posse' anniversary!" The kids all shouted.

"Our..." began Lorelai.

"Our 'Kelly Road Posse' anniversary," Seth explained.

"It's been seven years to the day that we moved to the Hollow," Ryan continued.

"So, we threw you a party to celebrate," Seth finished.

Jess leaned over to Rory, whispering,

"I've lived here three years. Still not used to the finishing-each-others'-sentences thing."

"Give it another two," She whispered back as she followed the adults into the den.

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An hour later, the group sat around, eating and joking, when the phone rang.

"I got it!" Rory announced, diving to grab the phone before her cousin could, "Hello?... Oh, hey... Yeah, what's up?... Same here... Yeah, he's right here. Here you go," She pulled the phone away from her ear, "Jessssss," she said in a sing-song voice, "It's for you. It's Aaaaaally." Jess hastily stood up, his cheeks shining red, and grabbed the phone from Rory, beginning to move towards the stairs leading to his bedroom.

Everyone smiled; Jess and Ally had been "going out" for almost a month. When Jess finally worked up the courage to ask her out (owing, in large part, to Seth and Ryan's insistence), she had told him "yes" instantly. His excitement was obvious at dinner that night, and his aunt had prodded him until he finally admitted why he was happy.

As expected, this prompted squeals and giggles from Lorelai and Rory, and a lecture from Luke about the "proper way to treat a girl."

"They're getting very serious," Kirsten commented.

"It's good for him to have something like this, though. It teaches him about relationships. Shows him that he can have a stable relationship," Lorelai pointed her fork at Kirsten, nodding as she spoke.

"He's still young, though. Do you think it's a good idea for him to be _so_ serious?" Luke thought out loud.

"Yeah. He'll be fourteen next month. He's at the age where he'll like girls and they'll like him. If he likes this girl, I don't think we should keep him from her."

"You've met her?" Sandy asked.

"Yeah, she came over for dinner once a few weeks ago. She seemed very sweet."

"As long as he found someone nice, it's actually kind of cute."

"My thoughts exactly."

Jess bounded up the stairs and hung the phone back up, not expecting to face prying eyes.

"What?" He asked sheepishly, staring intently at his old Nikes (He was prohibited from wearing his new ones before school started- Lorelai's orders.)

"How's Allllllly?" Lorelai asked, her voice reflecting the sing-songiness of Rory's from moments earlier.

"She's fine." He answered bluntly. Jess glanced at Ryan, pleading with him to create any kind of diversion. Ryan, in turn, looked at Seth, who looked at Rory, then Lane, then back to Jess.

"Alright, alright. We have an announcement to make," Seth announced, clanging his plastic fork against his paper cup, "That definitely works better in the movies." Ryan rolled his eyes at his brother and stood up,

"Now, as amazing as we know this is, we have another surprise for you."

"You guys do so much for us, and we just wanted to say thank you," Rory contributed.

"And, even though I'm not actually any of your kid, you all still do a lot for me, so I pitched in too," Lane stood next to her friends.

"So, we all pitched in and bought you guys a night out on the town," Jess said, still not able to look any of the adults in the eye.

"You..." Luke started, attempting to meet his nephew's eye, but failing and staring down his daughter instead.

"We made reservations at a fancy French restaurant in Hartford," Seth said, prompting Luke to move to say something. Before he could get the words out, Rory interrupted him,

"I checked. The portions are fine, and it isn't too expensive."

"That's my girl," he nodded proudly.

"Then, you're all going out to a night of dancing," Lane finished. The adults sat in stunned silence for a moment before Sandy spoke up,

"How did you kids manage to afford all this?"

"I used some of my Bar Mitzvah money," Seth said.

"Same," nodded Ryan.

"Money from helping at the inn and the diner," said Rory.

"Same," Jess said, his eyes now on the ceiling.

"I've helped my Mama in the store now and then. I earned money from there. Plus odd jobs at the inn and the diner," Lane said, looking Lorelai in the eye.

"You kids... are amazing," Kirsten said.

"Well, thanks. We were raised well."

"Thank you guys so much."

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"Now, you guys know where the numbers are to reach us?" Luke asked Rory. Jess was in the basement, on the phone with Ally, making plans for the next night.

"Yes, dad."

"And you know where the cell phone numbers are?"

"I had them memorized when I was ten, daddy."

"But, just in case. Do you know where they are?"

"Yes, daddy."

"Where are they?"

"On the fridge."

"Ok. Good girl. There's money on the table for pizza or the diner or..."

"Sandip's?"

"No, princess. Last time you did that, I had to hold mom back from burning the house down."

"Fine."

"We'll be back around eleven. Do you have any plans for tonight?"

"Umm... I think Lane and the boys are going to come over and hang out. Watch some movies or something."

"Ok. Are they sleeping over?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Ok. Just keep me posted," Lorelai descended the stairs wearing a black v-neck halter dress, putting in the diamond earrings that Luke bought her for her birthday, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," She turned to Rory, "Dad read you the riot act?"

"Unnecessarily, yes."

"I'm sure that the only thing that you needed reminding of is no Sandip's."

"I'm still not sure why not."

"Because mommy can't deal with the smell. It's worse than sticking your head in week-old garbage."

"Fine." Lorelai leaned over to give Rory a kiss,

"Be good. No keggers. Try not to wear togas. I love you."

"You too." Luke took his turn kissing Rory's forehead,

"The emergency phone numbers are on..."

"Dad!"

"Right, right. Got it. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Jess!" Luke called down the stairs.

"Yeah?" Jess's voice echoed up towards his family.

"We're going!"

"Ok, have fun!"

"Stay _in _the house this time, please!"

"Can do, chief."

"Ok, we'll see you later!"

"Bye!"

"Bye, Jess! Love you," Lorelai called down the stairs.

"Bye, Lorelai!"

"What? No 'I love you, too, Lorelai?'"

"I'm sorry, but it's so uncool to tell your aunt that you love her. Deal," He said jokingly.

"Goodbye, Jess."

"Bye, Luke. Bye, Lorelai."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do you think the boys are gonna do it?" Kirsten asked as she hooked her necklace, glancing at Sandy from her place in the bathroom.

"Do what?"

"Act on their feelings. Ask the girls out."

"Why? Do you think it'd be a bad thing?"

"I don't know. It's just... they're so young."

"Honey, they're almost fourteen."

"Doesn't mean I'm not their mother anymore."

"Sweetheart," he said, walking to her and pulling her into his arms, "They like Lane and Rory. They always have. Wouldn't you rather they go out with girls that we know and love instead of little brats who just want to go out and get gifts?"

"I guess."

"C'mon. We love Rory. We love Lane. We love Lorelai and Luke. We're... tolerant of Mrs. Kim. I think, if anything, it's a good idea."

"You just want your boys to be ladies men."

"And you just want them to be babies."

"They're my babies."

"Hey... if Ryan and Rory get married, then you and Lorelai would be related." She paused and considered,

"Ok, fine."

They walked into the hallway to find the boys moving hurriedly out of their bedrooms. Seth was wearing his favorite sweater-vest and a pair of nicely-creased jeans, and Ryan sported his nicest dress sweater- a gray round-neck.

"Woah, what's up with the dapper young men look?" Sandy asked, his arm around Kirsten's waist.

"Nothing, dad."

"We just felt like getting dressed up."

"Is that a crime?"

"Are we in trouble?"

"What? No, no, boys. Don't be so defensive... What are your plans for tonight?"

"We thought we'd... go hang out at Rory's," Ryan said sheepishly, his eyes fixated on the floor.

"Oh, really?" Kirsten glanced at Sandy, "Well, give the girls our love."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later, the kids sat in a circle on the floor of the den. Lane, the Cohen boys, and Ally had all come over, and all of the kids were now embroiled in a heated debate over which was the better show- _Family Guy _or _The Simpsons_.

"_Family Guy_, no question," Ryan said, "There's nothing that can beat a good Brian-Stewie scene."

"Yes there is. A good Lisa-Ralph scene," Lane said. After watching a few episodes of _The Simpsons _with Seth, she was turned on to "the beauty of the Wiggum."

"Lane, you're deranged. Ralph anything is funny," Seth said, waving his pizza at her.

"I never said Ralph anything wasn't funny, Seth. I just said that Ralph-Lisa was very funny."

"Ok, ok. I give." He smiled warmly at her, and she responded in kind.

"I say they're about equal," Ally offered. Despite her status with Jess and the fact that they had all been friends for a year, she wasn't completely sure of her status in the tight-knit group.

"I definitely could understand that. They both have some really good points. But I must say, I think _Family Guy _wins. I can't help it. I love Stewie."

"Rock on, Rory," He smiled at her, similarly to the way Seth had smiled at Lane, and was rewarded with a wink.

"I still don't get why you guys watch any of those," Jess mentioned, nibbling at the corner of his crust.

"You just like to watch _I Love Lucy. _I vote we kick Jess out of this discussion."

"Or we could start a new one?" Lane suggested.

"Actually, I have a new book in my room that I wanted to show Ryan," Rory offered. She had recently gotten a new copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_, complete with side-notes and she knew that Ryan was interested in the book.

"Oh, ok."

"Ally, do you want to go downstairs? I have that CD that I burned for you."

"Sure." He helped her up. The four left the room, leaving only Seth and Lane in the once-full circle.

"And then there were two," Seth said, motioning to the empty spaces.

"So..." Lane started. The last time they had been alone together in this room they had almost... _Get a hold of yourself, Lane Kim! That was a long time ago!_

"So... What do you think of Ms. Reynold's class?" She sighed and decidedly moved closer to him under the guise of better communication. _But really, I just want to be closer to him._

"She's alright. It sucks that you and Rory aren't in our class, though."

"I know. They purposely split the five of us up, I swear. How they manage to get you, Ryan, and Jess in one class, and me and Rory in the other I'll never know."

"I bet Taylor had something to do with it," she joked.

"You sound like Luke."

"I hang out with Rory too much." Seth was suddenly very aware of the small distance between them... not that he minded.

"We all hang out together a lot."

"But you and I don't do so much alone. Just the two of us."

"We could change that," he smiled at her- a smile which she returned shyly, though never breaking eye contact.

"We might have to."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, here it is," Rory told Ryan as she handed him the paperback.

"Very cool. My dad keeps telling me to read it. I think it's because it's about a lawyer."

"Atticus is awesome, though. Very good lawyer. Good dad. Seems to be a nice guy."

"How many times have you read this book?"

"About twenty-five," She said sheepishly, "It's one of my favorites."

"It should be good, then," he paused and decided whether to add the next part. Against his logic, he said, "You always have good taste. In books and clothes and everything."

"Thanks," she giggled, looking him in the eye.

They had been best friends for seven years, but there was something different over the past year or so. Their words were calculated. There was a different gleam in their eyes that was only evident when they spoke to or about the other. They almost felt magnetized towards each other, and wanted to spend a lot of time alone. Just with each other.

"So..." Ryan started, willing himself to pry his blue eyes off of Rory's, "Who's your favorite character?"

"Me?" She asked, plopping down next to Ryan on the bed, "Probably Boo Radley."

"Boo Radley? Don't you, like, never see him?"

"Yeah. He's elusive. I like that. But, see, there's one part," she leaned over and turned the pages of the book still in his hands. _I have Rory Danes this close to me. I am the luckiest man alive. _He felt a surge of something- perhaps electricity, perhaps elation- flow through his body, "It's just... read this." She leaned against his shoulder as he read the portion she had instructed him to. _I hope I'm not being too forward, but I really like him and he needs to know it. _

"Looks like a good book."

"Well, you and I have a lot of the same interests."

"We like the same things."

"So, maybe we should... spend some more time... just you and me?"

"I'd like that."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Jess?" Ally asked, looking at the picture of Jess, Rory, Ryan, Seth, and Lane on the wall.

"Yeah?"

"Your cousin... she likes Ryan, doesn't she?" Jess glanced at her incredulously,

"How did you..."

"It's obvious. Same way he likes her."

"I didn't think it was _that _obvious."

"Please. The eyes tell everything. How long have they liked each other?"

"As long as I can remember... Supposedly since they've met."

"And Seth and Lane?"

"What about them?"

"They like each other, too."

"How on earth can you tell all of this?"

"It's a girl thing. So spill." Jess sighed,

"Yeah, they've liked each other forever also."

"So... why don't they do it already?"

"Do what?"

"Ask each other out?"

"Well... Lane's mom is... Mrs. Kim."

"Oh, right... She's that lady who yells at us if we touch the fence as we walk by, right?"

"Yeah. And Lane and Seth really like each other. But Seth's... Jewish and not Korean and... not a boy Mrs. Kim would approve of."

"Does it matter to Lane?"

"Not at all. Which is why I think they'll wind up together sooner rather than later."

"And Rory?" Jess's gaze wandered to the picture on his desk of himself, Rory, and Luke.

"Rory... has a weird lifestyle. Her mom's pretty laid back, but her dad is really protective of her. Not strict or anything. Just protective. He adopted Rory when she was, like, six, and ever since then, he's kinda felt like, maybe he could lose her. Plus, it's just his nature to be so protective of her." Ally stared at Jess, stunned,

"Where did you find this out?" He laughed,

"My mom. Last time she was in town, I asked her why Luke was so protective of Rory. That's what she told me."

"Wow."

"Well, it's the Danes family way."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, Lane..." Seth started. They had been talking alone for nearly twenty minutes, laughing, joking, and never moving further than six inches away from one another.

"Yeah, Seth?"

"Remember that day... when we were here... and everyone else was out... and it was just us... and we almost..."

"Yeah, Seth. I remember." _How could I forget?_

"Well... it got me thinking..." he paused before allowing his emotions to take over, "I really, really, really like you Lane. And no matter what your mama says, I don't think it's 'inappropriate' for us to be together. And I just think that you're awesome, and it's fun to be with you, and I really like you, and..."

"Seth, spit it out," she said gently, interrupting his rant.

"Will you... be my girlfriend? That is, assuming you like me, too." Seth watched in bewilderment as Lane stood up and turned away from him.

After five seconds of complete silence, she let out a vague shriek, muffled by her hands placed over her mouth. She turned around and knelt next to him, a smile stretching from ear-to-ear,

"Yeah, Seth. I will." He smiled back at her and paused before asking,

"I don't need to give you a ring or anything, do I?" She shook her head no and leaned in slowly, her lips meeting his gently.

"Today... is awesome."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Rory?" Ryan said tentatively, flipping through the pages of yet another book.

"Hmm?" She mumbled, entranced by the same novel. _Now or never, Ryan. You'll never get her alone like this again. _He began a well thought-out speech, which quickly deteriorated into Seth-like rambling,

"So, we've been friends for a long time and I think it's... it's pretty clear... that you're a... a great person... and that everyone likes you... and you're funny and smart and... cute..."

"Cute?" She asked, a smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah. Cute," he recomposed himself, "So, what I'm trying to say, is... I like you, Rory. I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but I like you. A lot. And I don't think this feeling's going to go away, because I've felt this way since I was six. And lately, it's just gotten stronger. Now, I'm not sure if you like me, too, or not, but I'm gonna gamble on this one," _G-d, Cohen, spit it out, _"Would you... maybe... like to go out sometime? Just you and me? To the movies or... something?" Rory's grin broadened,

"Like... boyfriend and girlfriend kind of a thing?" He grinned, his cheeks reddening,

"Um... yeah..." Rory surprised herself by leaning forward, kissing him squarely on the mouth, "I'll take that as a yes?" She nodded,

"You should take that as a 'Finally, yes!'" They laid back on the bed together, his arm resting around her shoulders. After a few moments of comfortable silence, Rory spoke up again, "Hey, Ry?"

"Yeah?"

"What took you so long?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Kids?" Lorelai yelled into the house as she, Luke, Sandy, and Kirsten entered, the men rubbing at their feet.

"How did we let them talk us into this?" Luke asked his friend.

"The kids paid," Sandy answered definitively, making his way into the kitchen to relieve his throbbing feet.

Lorelai and Kirsten wandered into the den.

"Awww," They both said as they took in the sight of Lane and Seth, fast asleep on the floor atop a mountain of pillows, their arms around each other.

"Let them sleep here tonight," Lorelai said, grabbing a blanket and throwing it over the teenagers.

"Rory? Ryan?" Kirsten called out in a hushed tone. When they received no answer, Luke announced,

"She's probably in her room. I'll look," He groaned as he got to his feet, making the short distance to his daughter's bedroom. He opened the door a crack to find Rory and Ryan, still dressed in jeans and t-shirts, fast asleep atop Rory's bed, their arms around each other, "Oh my G-d!"

"What? What?" Kirsten and Lorelai rushed into the room behind Luke to see what was wrong.

"Awwwww," They repeated again.

"Aw? What the hell is aw? My only daughter is asleep in her bed with a guy! She's thirteen!"

"So's he," Kirsten joked. Luke put his hand to his head in disbelief, sitting back down at the kitchen table,

"I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"I don't think you have a choice." Suddenly, Lorelai began to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Teenagers. We're raising teenagers."

"That just hit you?"

"It just occurred to me."

"Is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It should be interesting, is all I'm saying."


	16. Life Changes

_A/N- Reviews make me :-D_... _in case I haven't mentioned it enough... x3 you guys!_

_A/N 2- Questions! I know the story is a bit mushy at times, but it's supposed to be. I'm a mushy person. I like cutesy ;). Also, I wasn't planning on bringing Chris in (in a nice way), but I used to like him, and I figured, despite the fact that I can't stand him anymore, he used to be halfway decent, and there has to be something that I can do with him. So, I will bring him in in an ok manner, showing that he's not terrible. Just not yet. Shortly, though. Cuz, even though he screwed up everything with Luke and Lorelai there for a while, he, at one point, was a somewhat nice guy. Richard and Emily will also be back shortly._

_A/N 3- If you guess which movie the kids are watching in the opening part of this chapter, you get the next chapter dedicated to you. On with the challenge!_

_Disclaimer- I'm sixteen. I own nothing but my cellphone and, eventually, the Ipod that I'm planning on buying. I definitely don't own the OC or Gilmore Girls._

Life Changes

_"But this girl's special." _

"They're all special," the guys in the movie continued their conversation.

"She can turn her face inside out!" Rory gasped over the true dialogue.

"They can all do that, but can she twirl a baton while mangling her body parts?" Seth said in a deep voice, replacing the movie's lines.

"Oh! Oh! They're breaking into song and dance!" Rory sat up straight on "Big Red", accidentally hitting Ryan's arm; they were the only ones in the Black, White, and Red Theatre, and felt no shame about acting as they normally would while watching movies.

As Ryan rubbed his wrist, he sighed,

"We should try that sometime."

"Breaking into spontaneous overly-rehearsed dance routines?" Lane asked from her seat, nestled closely against Seth.

"Yeah. Could you imagine Taylor and Miss Patty in the gazebo singing about the Firelight Festival?" Rory began to sing,

"Does anyone have the matches? The matches? The matches? Does anyone have the matches? This happens every damn year!" Ryan leaned down and kissed her head through her hair.

"That's ok, Ror. You don't have to sing. You can be the lighting coordinator."

"Hey! Miss Patty said I had a knack!"

"She also said Seth had a knack," reasoned Lane, poking her boyfriend playfully in the ribs.

"That woman has an ear," Seth tickled Lane.

"Yeah. She has two, actually. Doesn't mean she can hear right or well," Ryan said sarcastically. Rory sighed,

"When we did 'Wizard of Oz', you told me that I had a good voice."

"That was when I had a crush on you. You're my girlfriend now. I don't need to lie anymore." Rory stiffened her pose and sat up straight, leaning her back to the couch, away from Ryan's previously-welcoming arm. Ryan laughed,

"So, what? Now you're not talking to me?" Rory smirked and turned to Seth,

"Seth, could you please tell your brother that his girlfriend sings perfectly fine?"

"So does his brother," Seth said to Rory before turning to Ryan, "Your girlfriend sings fine." Ryan laughed,

"I'm sitting right next to her. I can hear her."

"And please tell him that I don't want him to hear me right now. I have you as a messenger."

"She doesn't want you to hear her right now. She has me as a messenger." Lane began to giggle.

"Rorrrrrry," Ryan teased good-naturedly in a sing-song voice.

"And, please tell him, that next time he comes over to my house to watch a movie when you, Lane, Jess, and Ally are all out, I get to pick the movie, because last time, I had to watch _Rocky IV _with him and he ate all the popcorn, and I fell asleep with my head on his lap because I was so bored, and when my dad came home, he freaked out and my mom had to convince him to ever let me out of the house again." Seth paused, opening his mouth repeatedly, seemingly debating whether to attempt it or not. Finally, he stated,

"I'm not risking it. Tell him yourself."

"Seth!"

"Nope. Too many words. Too many possible screw-ups." Ryan rolled his eyes. He leaned in and kissed Rory on the cheek. She pulled away and wiped at the spot where his lips had been only a moment prior.

"Rory..." No answer, "Rory Daaanes..." No answer, "Ror, c'mon."

"Seth, tell Ryan that if he wants me to respond, he knows what he has to do."

"You heard the lady."

"Oh, c'mon, Ror."

"Nope. Let's go, buddy."

"Uggh..." he began to sing, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine... you make me happy... when skies are gray... You'll never... Rory, please? This is humiliating."

"C'mon, singer boy. Keep going." He paused and considered,

"You know what? I have a better idea." Rory's eyes went wide as she realized what he was about to do,

"Ryan, no. Don't you dare!"

Ryan didn't heed her warning. Within seconds, his hands were at her stomach, tickling her. He tackled her down to a laying position on the couch and laid next to her. After about thirty seconds of tickle-induced torture, Rory called,

"Ok, ok! Truce!"

"Truce?"

"Yes... on one condition."

"Yes, my princess?"

"Kiss."

"Now that I can do." He leaned down and kissed Rory lightly on the lips before sitting back down next to her, pulling her gently into his arms to finish watching the movie.

"Girl, my hair wouldn't even fit through that thing."

_"I'm from Texas. I've seen bigger."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai sat at her desk at the inn, flipping through the list of bookings seated in front of her.

"The Andersons. March first. That's... three weeks from now. In room... two." She wrote a small number two next to The Andersons' name and moved down the list, "The Smiths. John and Jane Smith? And their kids Billy and Susie? You're kidding, right? Ok... Mr. and Mrs. Generic and family will be here... February... twenty-ninth... that's a..." She glanced down at her desk calendar, scanning over the dates. She went over the entire month of February (it was now the twelfth), and her eyes grew wide.

She flipped back to January and found the marked date that she had been looking for. _January fourth. _She flipped back to February. The fourth had come and gone.

She turned the pages back and forth, checking that she wasn't fooling herself into seeing something she wasn't.

After three minutes, she realized.

She wasn't fooling herself.

She wasn't fooling anyone.

Now, the question was, how to tell Luke.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sandy and Kirsten sat together on the couch, their eyes fixated on _Grease _playing on their den television,

"This car is automatic... systematic... hydromatic... why, it's Greased Lightning!"

Sandy leaned forward and paused the movie,

"Hey, honey... you know what I've been thinking?"

"That movies like _Grease_ are better when you actually play them?" He ignored her comment,

"Do you remember... the plan?"

"The plan?"

"Before the boys were born... we had a plan."

"What do you mean?" He looked at her, mouth gaping,

"You don't remember this?" She shook her head gently, her lips pursed in deep thought,

"Not even a little bit."

"Kirsten, you don't remember our plan..." she stared at him blankly,

"No matter how many times you say it, doesn't mean I'm going to suddenly remember."

"Back in the city..." another blank stare, this time accompanied by a shrug of the shoulders, "To open our own ice cream store." Kirsten laughed, a look of realization suddenly overcoming her delicate features,

"Oh, that plan." Sandy shifted himself so he was facing his wife,

"Whatever happened to that? Why did we give up on it?"

"Well, I don't know if you're familiar with their work, but we had our sons. Remember them? Mischievous? Love to pull pranks? One of them looks just like you?"

"Oh, is that what that is? I thought he was a stunt double," Kirsten laughed and Sandy suddenly turned serious, "Honestly, honey. What's stopping us from opening an ice cream store now?"

"The boys..."

"Are fourteen. Don't need us to be home with them every day anymore. Are even, really, old enough to help out if need be."

"I don't know..."

"C'mon, honey. We never do anything adventurous anymore! This'll be cool," Kirsten opened her mouth to protest, but Sandy cut her off, "This will be an adventure. And if we go down in a year, it'll be the best, most exciting year of our lives." Kirsten sighed and paused,

"Where is this all coming from so suddenly?" Sandy shook his head,

"This is not sudden. I've been thinking about it. It all started again when the boys started dating. That's when it really hit me that the boys don't need us to be around every second of every day anymore. That was when I decided that we could do this. They're old enough to deal. Plus, it'll be something fun- a cool business venture for all of us. We'll get the boys involved... C'mon..." There was an expectant silence for a moment before Kirsten said quietly, but confidently,

"Ok."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Luuuke?" Lorelai called as she entered the diner, "Luke, where arrrrrrre you?" She paused, waiting for an answer, "Luuuuuke? Your beautiful, vivacious, wonderful wife is here, and you're ignoring her!" She was unusually giddy.

Luke suddenly came rushing out through the back,

"I heard you. Keep your pants on." _Well, if I did that, I wouldn't have to tell you this, now would I?_

"The father of my child, ladies and gentlemen," She was careful not to let slip anything she hadn't told him yet.

"Go upstairs. I'll be up in a few minutes." Lorelai nodded and stood to go up to the office, leaning over, kissing his cheek and whispering,

"I love you."

"What?" Luke muttered. _What kind of a reaction was that?_

Fifteen minutes later, Luke bounded up the stairs, a burger in hand for Lorelai, chicken for himself. As he placed the food on the table, he muttered,

"Correct greeting," leaning over to kiss her lightly on the lips. However, she surprised him; she elongated the kiss, making it sweet and full of love, rather than a mere kiss hello. Luke was stunned as he pulled away, "What was that for?" She shrugged,

"You're a good husband. A good dad. A fantastic cook. And I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I know," she smirked at him.

They sat together and had lunch, discussing Rory, Jess, the diner, the inn, and their weekend plans. It was all very pleasant, but Luke could sense there was something different. Lorelai was acting differently. She was almost glowing. She seemed antsy. She seemed like she wanted to tell him something.

When they had finished their lunch, Luke gave her a piece of pie and a cup of coffee and watched as she ate methodically. _Better drink this while I still have the chance, _she thought, sipping slightly at the coffee, _Once I tell him, he's never going to let this stuff near me again._

"Hey, honey?" She said suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"I have... a present for you." She hesitated on the word present; it didn't go unnoticed by Luke.

"A present?" He raised an eyebrow at his wife.

She nodded, and pulled out a small box from under the table,

"Here you go." He looked skeptically at her; what could this be a present for? Valentine's day was the next day, and they had agreed to no early gifts.

He pulled at the ribbon around the thin box; it was pink, the box was blue. He paused before opening the box; the color choice was odd, but that was Lorelai.

Slowly, he pulled off the lid to the box, his eyes going wide,

"Lorelai..." his mouth dropped open in shock, "Is this..." She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes as she climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck,

"You're gonna be a daddy again." He looked at her incredulously, searching for any sign that she was kidding. He found nothing. He looked back and forth, from Lorelai to the pregnancy test sitting in the small box- from one to the other, his mouth gaping.

Lorelai, concerned by his lack of reaction, let out a small,

"Luke? Sweetie... say something..." Slowly, a smile spread across his face,

"I'm gonna be a daddy again," Lorelai nodded, "A daddy... me... again," Lorelai nodded more vigorously, "I'm going to have two children. I'm going to be a daddy... to a baby again." Lorelai laughed at his babbling before crushing her lips to his. After a few minutes, she pulled away,

"I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth sat on Ryan's bed, watching his brother sort through his closet.

"This needs to be perfect. It's my first Valentine's Day with Rory. I need to look good." Seth looked back down at the comic book resting in his lap,

"So, where are you guys going?" Ryan glanced back at Seth,

"Picnic in the park, then a walk by the bridge, then out to a movie. _Casablanca_. Classic boyfriend-girlfriend movie. Sucks that you can't go out tomorrow." Seth nodded,

"Yeah. Turns out the one holiday that Momma Kim cares about that's not Korean is Valentine's Day. Doesn't want Lane out on the streets with all the 'kissing couples'. So we're going out on the fifteenth instead. After the smooching is all done. For everyone except us."

"Ew, Seth. I don't need to know that... She still has no idea, huh?"

"Mrs. Kim? Nope. Not a clue. Always thinks that we're all going out with Rory or Luke and Lorelai. Doesn't suspect a thing as long as Rory's with us."

"Sounds like a great plan," Ryan said sarcastically, "I can't believe that you've been dating her for six months already and her mother has no idea."

"The lunacy of a self-indulgent parent." Ryan shook his head,

"You need to stop watching TV with Dad." Seth looked up at Ryan,

"Tell me about it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess watched on as his family ate breakfast. There was something different than usual. It wasn't just that Luke was home for breakfast; occasionally, he stayed home in the morning (Usually on family birthdays). What he noticed, however, was that something smelled different. When his uncle brought his aunt a plate of egg whites with sides of strawberries, blueberries, and grapes, he looked bemused.

"Did I miss something?" asked Jess, looking around for Lorelai's usual pancakes and bacon.

"What? What do you mean, sweetie?"

"Lorelai... did you look at your plate?" She looked down,

"Oh, you're right, Jess. Thank you. Luke?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"You forgot the grapefruit."

"Oh... I'm sorry, baby. Here," He handed her half of a grapefruit as she took a fork and dug in. Jess cocked an eyebrow. He was about to say something when Rory's bedroom door swung open.

"Good morning, everyone," she said joyously. He decided to wait and see if she noticed anything different as Lorelai glanced at her skeptically,

"Good morning, sunshine. Why are you so happy today?" She sighed happily,

"It's Valentine's Day. And I have a wonderful boyfriend," She kissed Lorelai on the cheek, "And he's taking me out tonight. So I'm happy." She leaned up and kissed Luke on the cheek, who was looking at her with fear,

"You're going out with Ryan tonight?" She nodded, "On Valentine's Day?" Again, "Just the two of you?"

"Yes, dad. Just me and Ryan celebrating Valentine's Day." Luke appeared nervous and shot Lorelai a glance; the one she returned told him to relax.

Jess looked pointedly at Rory, who looked back at him, confused. She chose to ignore the look, however, and grabbed at her mother's coffee, taking a sip. She choked back the black liquid,

"Ew, mom! This isn't regular coffee! This is decaf! You didn't notice? Daddy switched out your coffee!"

"Oh... yeah, I noticed." Rory realized something was weird at that exact moment; her father occasionally tried to switch her mother's coffee, but Lorelai always won, able to tell with a single sniff. Rory and Jess exchanged looks. Something was weird.

"Mom... Dad..." Rory started.

"Is there something you want to tell us?" Jess finished. _Note to self: the sentence-finishing thing is Ryan and Seth's thing. No more finishing Rory's sentences._

Luke and Lorelai exchanged glances. This was the moment.

"Actually, yeah. We do," Lorelai said as Luke pulled up a chair next to her. Rory and Jess watched them curiously.

"Ok, Jess... remember when you were little, you used to ask for more cousins, because you loved playing with Rory, and you thought cousins were the most fun people?"

"Yeah."

"And, Ror, remember when you first met Seth and Ryan, you started asking us if you could have a brother or sister, because Seth and Ryan made it seem like so much fun? And then you carried that doll around for a week after we explained that it doesn't happen like magic, Seth and Ryan were a special case- they were brothers that were born at the same time, and you..."

"Dad! On with it!"

"Well, guys..." Lorelai began, "You're not going to have to ask anymore."

Jess and Rory looked at each other, confused.

"What?" Jess said.

"Are you..." Rory began, unable to finish the thought.

"We're having another baby, guys!" Lorelai said. Rory's eyes went wide. Lorelai watched as her daughter went from confused, to shocked, to excited. She began to jump up and down vigorously,

"I'm gonna be a big sister! Mom, I'm gonna be a big sister!" She hugged her mother, "Daddy, I'm gonna be a big sister!" Luke nodded as Rory threw her arms around his neck.

"So, Jess," Luke said after Rory had calmed down, pulling a chair up next to Lorelai, her arms around her mother's shoulders, "What do you think?"

"Cool," he said, a small grin on his face that seemed almost forced, "Very cool. That's really exciting. A baby in the house. Congratulations." He hugged his aunt, who kissed his hair, concerned, and then wrapped his arms around his uncle in the classic "guy hug" before announcing,

"I have a date to get ready for, though. I told Ally that I'd meet her at eleven, so I should go get showered." Jess stalked off, leaving Lorelai and Luke to share a knowing glance.

"Rory, why don't you go pick out some jewelry from my collection to wear tonight?"

"Ok, mom," She said, wiping the happy tears from her eyes as she scurried upstairs.

"What the hell was that?" Lorelai asked once she was sure both kids were out of ear-shot. Luke did his best to put up a front,

"It's a guy thing. He's fourteen. He's too cool to care. I'm sure he's ok."

"I hope so," she nodded.

Luke made a mental note to keep an eye on Jess... and to not let Lorelai know.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Boys?" Sandy said as he and Kirsten entered the den, "We need to talk." Seth and Ryan exchanged confused glances.

"Whatever it is, it was Rory's idea. We had nothing to do with it," Seth said defensively, sitting up in his seat.

"Well, you weren't in trouble, but we'll get back to that later, Mr. Guilty Conscience." Ryan shot Seth a glare, whispering warningly,

"Seth, you idiot!" Kirsten rolled her eyes; her sons were impossible sometimes, and occasionally she just had to sit back and laugh at their escapades,

"Boys, we have something to tell you."

"Is dad pregnant?" Seth gasped. Ryan cuffed the back of his brother's head,

"Shut up."

"Ryan," Kirsten scolded.

"Sorry, mom."

"Boys, if you can't handle this, then we just won't tell you," Sandy warned.

"No, no. We can deal with it," Ryan nodded excitedly.

"Yeah. Absolute angels," Seth made an invisible halo over his head with his hand, Ryan's continued nodding now accompanied by his finger pointing over his brother's head. Kirsten and Sandy exchanged meaningful glances before Sandy forged on,

"Well, boys, did mom and I ever tell you that, before you two were born, we had wanted to be entrepreneurs?"

"You've mentioned it."

"Go on."

"Well, we've always really wanted to open... an ice cream store." Seth and Ryan's eyes went wide as their mother prevented them from saying anything,

"This is just an idea right now. It would be someplace small. Someplace in Stars Hollow. Someplace manageable. There's no guarantee that this will even happen."

"No, no..." Ryan started.

"We get it..." Seth continued.

"That's just really..." Ryan reached for the words.

"The coolest thing that this family has ever done. Except for me of course." Ryan moved to cuff Seth again, but pulled his hand back upon receiving a stern glare from his mother.

"We're glad you like it," Sandy said.

"But you boys realize that, if this does happen, we'll need your help. Cleaning..."

"Working..."

"Opening..."

"Keeping an eye on it..."

"Hey, hey!" Seth said, interrupting his parents.

"The sentence-finishing thing is ours. Don't steal it."

"Boys, honestly. What do you think of this?"

"I think we should do it!"

"Ditto."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"How's your chicken?" Rory glanced up from her lunch and gave her boyfriend a small, forced smile,

"Really good, Ry. Thanks."

"No problem." The silence from earlier returned.

"So, umm... Lane and Seth are going out tomorrow. Once Mrs. Kim lets her off of Valentine's parole."

"Mmhmm." The quiet filled their ears.

"So... your dad said that he's adding a new dish to the menu. The 'Kelly Road Posse' dessert platter. A brownie, a scoop of ice cream, sprinkles, whipped cream, and M&Ms," Rory nodded and Ryan sighed, "Are you ok?"

"What? Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

"It's just... you've seemed... off all day."

"Oh, you're sweet. But I'm fine. Just a big morning today, is all."

"Why, what happened? I have big news, too. Just looking for the right time to tell you about it."

"Oh... what's your news?"

"You first."

"Um... no. You first." He nodded; there was no way to win an argument with a determined Rory,

"My mom and dad... this morning... told me and Seth... they want to open an ice cream store. In town somewhere."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up for the first time in an hour; she had seemed distracted the entire day.

"Yeah, really."

"Do they have any idea where they're thinking of putting it?" Ryan shook his head,

"No, not yet. They're still deciding. Why?"

"Well, it's just that, that space next to the diner? My dad owns it. And he's been looking to rent it out to someone, just to make a little extra cash. I'm sure he'd rather it be you guys than anyone else."

"Really? You think he'd do that?"

"For you guys? Anything. Plus, with the new baby coming and everything, I'm sure we could use the money." Ryan nodded before her words dawned on him,

"The new baby?" Rory's eyes went wide as she noticed her slip, and she quickly looked down at her chicken.

"Um... yeah." There was no covering now.

"What new baby?" Rory sighed,

"The one that my mom is pregnant with..."

"The one that your mom... your parents... you're gonna be..."

"A big sister," she nodded, adding another small smile for good measure.

"That's awesome! Are you excited?"

"Yeah... yeah, I am... It's just..." her voice trailed off and she shook her head.

"It's just what?" Ryan was genuinely concerned.

"Nothing. It's nothing," she refused to meet her boyfriend's eye.

"Rory, what's the matter?"

"Nothing... it's just the money thing," she quickly covered, "I mean, Jess and I are both on the waiting list at Chilton... you know that- so are you and Seth... but, with the new baby, I wonder if we'll have enough money to pay for us to go... granted we get in." Rory knew it wasn't true. Should she and her cousin get into the exclusive prep school, her parents had enough money to send them, plus, even if they didn't, they'd find another way around it. She knew that for a fact.

"Don't worry about it, Rory. You'll be fine. Even if you didn't have enough money, your mom and dad would find a way to get you in." She nodded appreciatively and leaned in, kissing him lightly on the lips, hoping that the subject would pass.

_Ryan, you know me too well._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Doritos _

Chocolate Chop Cookies

Coke

Pizza

Lunchables Hot Dogs

PS- remember that you love me and that I'm carrying your child.

Lorelai put down the pencil and sat quietly in the chair, her hand resting lightly on her stomach.

_Luke's gonna be a daddy again. I'm a mommy. And I'm not alone this time. Luke will be there from the beginning. He's going to get to see this kid walk for the first time, talk for the first time. There will be _no _adoption proceedings. And I'll have someone to help me with midnight feedings. _

And Rory...

Rory will be the best big sister. She's gonna be so excited. Bathe it, play with it, feed in... she's gonna be amazing.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a muted sobbing sound coming from Rory's bedroom.

"Rory?" Lorelai said lightly as she knocked gently on Rory's bedroom door, "Sweets, are you ok?"

"Yeah, mom. I'm ok," Rory's quivering voice answered from behind the closed door.

"Do you want to talk?"

"No... yeah," she whispered, standing from her bed and striding towards the door.

Lorelai was shocked as her daughter threw the door open, her eyes puffy and red, looking sheepishly at her mother.

"What's the matter?" Rory broke down and Lorelai held her soundly in her arms, stroking her hair.

Lorelai led her daughter to the bed and sat down, tossing aside the discarded copy of _Catcher in the Rye_.

"What happened? Is it school?"

"No, school's fine."

"Is someone bothering you? Cuz daddy works out. I could send him over there." Rory let a laugh escape her,

"No, my friends and I are ok."

"Is it Ryan? Did you two have a fight?"

"No, no. Ryan and I are fine. Aside from the occasional dirty glance from dad, we're fine."

"So what is it, then?" Rory sighed,

"It's... the baby."

"The baby?"

"Yeah..." Rory quickly reasoned upon seeing the crestfallen look overcoming her mother's face, "Oh, no, mom. Not the baby. Not like that, at least. I'm happy about the baby. I'm gonna be a big sister! It's just..." she trailed off.

"It's just what, sweets?"

"It's just... you're my mom. And you're my biological mom. But... daddy..." Lorelai wasn't quite sure where Rory was going with this, so she egged her on with a nod, "This is going to sound childish and stupid and ridiculous."

"I need a laugh. Go on."

"Dad... as much as he's my dad, I worry... what if he... I don't know... forgets all about me? Or he starts to look at me differently?"

"Why would he?"

"Because... this is his flesh and blood. He's going to have a stronger bond to this kid than to me."

Lorelai's mouth fell open,

"Honey... every night since you were a baby, what have you done before bed?"

"Well, I shower, then I get changed into my pajamas, read for a little while, and then I say 'Goodnight' to you and dad."

"Right. Now, do you remember when you were a little girl, sometimes, if Dad was working, we'd go for a walk down to the diner so you could give daddy a kiss goodnight?"

"Yeah," she rubbed aimlessly at a spot on her arm.

"You know why we did that, right?"

"You wanted coffee and it was a good excuse?"

"No, c'mon, I'm being serious here."

"I don't know..."

"Because daddy asked me to. He told me that it wasn't enough to come in and give you a kiss when you were already sleeping," Rory nodded; it was logical, after all, "And the time you had the chicken pox and would only eat mashed potatoes for a week?"

"Daddy made them for me every day."

"Right. And the time that you got hurt at school?"

"Daddy ran down there from the diner. He was all red. That was the day that I sprained my wrist, right?"

"Yeah. Now I want you to look down."

"At my boobs?"

"Go with it, Rory." She rolled her eyes and did as she was told, finding her locket that her father had given her when she was two years old. Over the years, the chains had broken, gotten too small, and been replaced. The one thing that had stayed the same, however, was the locket itself.

Occasionally, she would sit and play with it absently. It often reassured her when she was scared, or made her smile through sad tears.

The one time that she had lost it was the most miserable few days of her life.

She had been eight years old. The clasp broke during lunch, where she put it into her coat pocket and reminded herself to have her mother get it fixed when she got home. She had been playing tag with Lane and the Cohen boys when she heard her name called. She turned around to find Luke leaning against the door of the diner, Doose's Market bag in hand.

She waved excitedly at him and he waved back before pulling out a box of Coos-coos. She giggled; Lorelai had had problems trying to cook it the night before, and she was sure that her father had bought it to make fun of her. She motioned that she was "it" before blowing him a kiss, waiting for him to blow one back before she ran off to play with her friends again. She was stopped by Lindsay Lister, who asked,

"Who was that?"

"My daddy."

"Oh. He works at the diner?"

"He owns it. You probably know who he is. Here, I have a picture of him." She reached into her pocket to retrieve the locket, but found only a gaping hole. She excused herself and ran to Seth, Ryan, and Lane, where she broke down, crying inconsolably. They spent the remainder of recess looking for Rory's lost locket, Ryan finally finding it lying by the soccer goals as the last bell rang.

"Is that not proof enough that daddy loves you? You're everything to him, Ror. That's not gonna change." She smiled sadly at her mother before nodding definitively,

"I guess you're right." Lorelai grabbed her arm and began to lead her to the front door,

"Go. I want you to go and see daddy. Tell him how you feel. Tell him what you want."

"What I really, really want?"

"Right. Zig-a-zig-ah." Rory hugged Lorelai and headed out the door.

Lorelai watched Rory leave, lost in her thoughts. She was distracted, however, by a large crash. She turned around quickly, surprised, to find Jess on the floor, a duffel bag trailing behind him.

"Jess, honey, what are you doing?" Jess shook his head before shooing her back,

"Nothing. Nothing, Lorelai. You shouldn't be lifting."

"Jess, it's fine, sweetie."

"No, no." He moved to grab his bad, which had opened, but Lorelai got to it first,

"Clothes? Your toothbrush? A picture of the four of us? Money?" She looked behind him and saw his sleeping bag, "Jess... what's going on?"

"Nothing, Lorelai." He stood up and brushed off his pants, avoiding Lorelai's eye. He knew that she would be able to figure him out. But she was way ahead of him. She had done this too many times not to know what he was doing.

"I'm gonna go get a snack," he said, hurrying away from her, "Did Luke buy the Keebler cookies that I like?"

"Yeah. He did." He grabbed the cookies from the pantry and took a seat. Lorelai pulled a chair up next to him,

"So, you want to tell me why you're running away?" She had decided quickly that beating around the bush would do nothing; bluntness was the best way to go.

Jess glanced up sheepishly, his cheeks blushing,

"The baby," he mumbled, somewhat incoherently.

"You'd better be brilliant and gorgeous for what I'm going through, kid," she whispered to her stomach before turning her attention back on her nephew, "Why, Jess?"

"I don't know... I thought it'd be easier for you and Luke."

"Why would it be easier for us?"

"Well, first, you're going to need a room for the baby."

"Luke and I already decided we're putting an addition on the house. It was necessary anyway. Next." Jess laughed at her quick response, never peeling his eyes from his cookie,

"I cost money... a lot of money... I don't want to cause issues with that." Lorelai shook her head,

"Honey, between Luke and me, we have plenty of money to support the whole family. The whole crazy group of us. Besides, your uncle's looking to rent out the space next to the diner. That'll bring in extra money. That's a non-issue, sweetheart." He grinned a bit, still fearful,

"Plus... you guys are gonna be a family. A full family. I don't want to impose on that." Lorelai's gaze turned sympathetic,

"Oh, honey... you _are_ a part of this family. We'd be incomplete without you. We love you just as much as we love Rory. I don't want the new baby growing up without you in his life to teach him how to play baseball and cards and... get out of getting grounded. You're pretty good at that."

"It's my talent."

"We love you. You need to know that." He nodded,

"I do. I love you guys, too."

"Good. Now, just remember, next time you try a stint like this? Expect the words 'grounded for life' to come up in conversation. A lot. You do not make your pregnant aunt worry. You hear me?"

"Yes, Lorelai."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Daddy?" Rory said tentatively, knocking on the door to the diner's storeroom. Lule craned his neck to see her walk in,

"Rory. Hey. I wasn't expecting you... was I expecting you?" She shooke her head,

"No, no. I just... I need to talk." He nodded and gingerly put down the box of pickles she was holding.

"What's going on?"

"I... I..." She felt the tears welling up in her eyes, but batted them away, "Daddy... I'm worried." He instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around his little girl,

"Why?"

"Dad... what if... G-d, this sound childish."

"Go ahead, princess."

"Ok... well... the new baby... you're going to be its father." He paused, waiting for more. When he got no answer, he told her,

"Are you not able to picture me as a father? We have home videos to prove that I am one. To a girl who looks a lot like you, in fact?" She shook her head,

"No, dad. That's not what I mean. You're going to be _related _to this kid."

"Just like I'm related to you."

"Dad!"

"Rory, princess, I'm not getting it," Rory widened her eyes, implying her thoughts. Luke studied his only child's deep blue eyes before quickly realizing her insinuation, "Rory, you can't seriously be worried about that," She glanced up at him, tears in the same eyes as her mother's, "Oh, kid, there's no way that I'd ever forget about you."

"I don't know... I am, technically, the stepkid."

"Honey, I'm your dad. Remember the adoption proceedings?"

"Kinda. Tell me the story again," she nestled into Luke's chest. She was acting like a five-year old, but she didn't care. Now, more than ever, she needed his coddling.

"Well, it was right after we moved out of the apartment above the diner. And we went to the courthouse, and you made the judge laugh. You were so freakin' cute when you were little," The smile that had been building on her face during the story evaporated,

"But I'm not little anymore. I'm almost an adult."

"I know... and I can't believe it. I just remember the look on your face when the judge approved the adoption, and how I picked you up, and everybody was crying- Mia and mom and you and me..."

"You?"

"You were officially my kid. I was happy. But the one thing I remember was how excited you were- you told me 'I'm Princess Rory Danes now', like it was your title," Rory only nodded, "It is, you know."

"What?"

"Princess Rory Danes. You're my baby. I love you so much- that's why I'm protective of you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"And don't worry about that, sweetheart. I'll love you just as much as the other baby." Rory nodded, answering with an unconvinced,

"Ok, dad." Luke sighed,

"I have an idea. How about, once a week, maybe every other week if we can't find the time, you and I have Rory-dad days. We go out or stay in- just us. Watch movies. Go out to dinner. Keep it the way that it is, ok? Cuz I really don't want you to think that I don't love you." Rory smiled her first real smile in two days,

"Ok, dad."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Luke?" Sandy knocked on the door to the office.

"In here, Sandy," Luke was measuring the playroom, "What's up?"

"I have a proposition for you, my friend."

"Oh, yeah? Let's hear it." Luke stood up and sat on the couch.

"Ok, well, I've learned from reliable sources that you own the property next door."

"What reliable sources?"

"Ryan. Heard it from Rory."

"Pretty reliable second-hand."

"Definitely. Now... I need you to keep this under wraps for the time being, but... Kirsten and I want to open an ice cream store."

"Really? That's so cool. Congratulations!"

"And we want to use your space next door. That is, if you want to rent it to us," Sandy finished. He watched on in bemusement as Luke went from confused to flustered, and finally to determined. He met his best friend's gaze,

"Of course I'll rent it to you. That's a great idea!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, I've been looking to rent that place out anyway- it's just sitting there, and we need the extra cash... I'm sure you've heard the news by now?"

"What? Yeah, we were gonna pretend to be surprised, let Lorelai tell us. How'd you know we knew?"

"My daughter is her mother's daughter. Cannot keep a secret. I'm sure she told Ryan."

"She did. And he told us. Congratulations, man."

"Thanks. So... I gotta get back to this... seeing if we can turn this into a nursery by the due date. So, I'll have someone send you the paperwork?"

"Sure... hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"We're in-laws _and _business partners. Is that really such a great idea?"

"In-laws?"

"Ryan and Rory..." Luke shot Sandy a threatening glare, "Are good friends who sit across from each other at the dinner table quietly. Nothing more."


	17. The Next Phase in Life

_A/N- Ok, up front I will say that this chapter is insanely long. But I honestly think that it's my best one yet. Please enjoy. And please review because I LOVE reviews:-D_

_A/N 2- Questions! There is some definite Seth/Lane in this chapter. Last chapter, I just really had a storyline that I wanted to go with, and they didn't really fit into it. The Cohens owning the ice cream parlor was actually a combination of Taylor's (I hate Taylor's and I think that the Cohens will be much cooler... not as dorky) and the ice cream store that my parents opened exactly one year ago today. Happy Anniversary!The review idea is not a bad idea, but I feel like I get enough reviews as is, and I generally have a schedule for when I'll update. I'll take it into consideration, but I think maybe the way I'm doing it now is ok. Thanks anyway, though!_

_Dedicated: To snowboardbaby526, NIk, and Chelsea because they were the ones who knew the movie at the beginning of last chapter. It was "From Justin To Kelly." I will not say how many times I've seen that movie. And I will not mention the fact that I own it. Oops._

_New Challenge: When Rory is in the car later in the chapter, she is listening to a CD. If you can name the band that she's listening to, I'll dedicate the next chapter to you. I love challenges!_

_Disclaimer: Own nothing. See nothing... Do nothing..._

The Next Phase in Life

Ryan and Rory sat on the bench in the park across from the diner and the construction zone that was soon to be the Kandy's Ice Cream Parlor. Construction and preparation had begun soon after Sandy had made a deal with Luke to rent the space next to the diner. They watched on in amusement as Taylor spoke to Sandy animatedly, his voice echoing across the square,

"Sandy, what you really need is an awning out front. A nice big red-and-white awning, to remind people of candy canes and to invite them inside."

"Um... we're not a candy store, Taylor. We just sell ice cream."

"Yes, but it's a dessert store. And, speaking of which, you're friends with Luke, right?"

"Yes."

"Right. I mean, your families are always around town together, and I know your son is dating Luke's daughter. Which reminds me, could you speak to those children about their behavior around town?" He motioned to Rory and Ryan on the bench, her head resting on his shoulder, and his arm wrapped carefully around her smaller shoulders, hugging her closely to him in the chilly October air.

"How did we get dragged into this?" She asked. Ryan only shrugged in response, kissing the top of her head.

"Their behavior?" Sandy said incredulously.

"Yes. Their affection should be prohibited completely at their age, much less out here in public. It's immoral and indecent."

"They're kids. They aren't doing anything they shouldn't be. Trust me, we have eyes all over the town."

"But, Sandy..." Sandy cut him off,

"Do you have something to actually tell me, or are you just going to criticize the way that Luke and I raise our children?" Taylor shook his head,

"No, I just wanted to say that I thought that it would be a nice idea to have a connecting window between the diner and the ice cream store. You know, let people watch each other eat. See what everybody else is having."

"Well, Taylor, that sounds like the exact amount of stalker that we're going for with our ice cream parlor. We'll take that into consideration."

Ryan and Rory turned their attention away from the adults' conversation and began discussing their weekend,

"So, you're not gonna be home at all on Saturday?" Rory shook her head,

"It's my yearly visit with Christopher."

"So, what are you gonna do with him?" She shrugged,

"Um... go to his apartment around 10, he'll make me breakfast, make awkward small talk about mom, make me a really bad lunch, I'll go to the bathroom to eat the lunch that my dad gives me, he'll give me an extravagant present that I really don't want, we'll have dinner, and then my dad will come pick me up around 10 at night."

"No going out?"

"Maybe to meet his new girlfriend who'll fuss over 'how cute I am'." Ryan scoffed,

"You're fifteen. Sixteen in a month."

"Doesn't matter to them. Apparently, I must be adorable because Chris's chromosomes made me," she said morbidly. Ryan kissed her head in consolation,

"You really hate going there, don't you?" She sighed,

"I don't hate _him_. He's perfectly nice to me. And he tries to be to mom. But, it's just, there's so much history there. He tried to break up my parents' wedding. He once tried to beat up my dad. He... I don't know..."

Ryan lifted her chin and kissed her softly, reassuringly on the lips,

"Hey... it'll be ok." She nodded and smiled softly at him,

"How do you know how to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Kiss me and make everything better."

"Just natural talent, I guess." Rory shook her head,

"My boyfriend, the king of modesty, ladies and gentlemen."

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her tightly before leaning in to kiss her again.

They began to kiss sweetly, but were soon interrupted by the clearing of a throat nearby. They looked up to find Lorelai staring down at them, her hands on her widened hips, her face visible over her protruding stomach.

"Hi, mom," Rory coughed, wiping off her mouth.

"Lorelai," Ryan greeted, pulling away slightly from Rory.

"See, now, I know you two kiss," Lorelai had lost her patience to tiptoe around difficult subjects around the end of her seventh month, and was growing far more sarcastic now in her thirty-sixth week of pregnancy, "and it doesn't bother me. But, as you very well know, you're in the middle of the town square. Now, look around. There's Kirk, who's taking notes. Miss Patty is trying to figure out which style wedding dress you would look best in. Taylor is watching you and taking pictures as evidence for the next town meeting. And the best one of all is the one that should be most obvious," she pointed across the road, "Rory, what's that over there?"

"Dad's diner."

"Do you know who's in Dad's diner?" She tried to think logically, immediately reaching the conclusion,

"Oh, crap."

"Yes. Oh, crap is right. He was fine until you started going at it. Now, I don't know if you know, but a pregnant woman's husband is very annoying to said pregnant woman when he's pacing in front of her, whining about their teenage daughter."

"Sorry, mom."

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep it away from where your father can see it. For my sanity, at least."

"You need caffeine."

"Noted. But, please. Remember that you love Mommy." Rory nodded,

"Do you need help getting back to the diner?"

"No. Just company who's not clinically insane. Want to come with?" Rory smiled; she was used to her mother's mood swings by now.

"Sure, mom."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_Thankful_? Kelly Clarkson? Really?" Seth sat on the floor in his girlfriend's bedroom, sifting through her CD collection under her floorboard. Lane hastily snatched it away,

"What part of 'every CD ever made' are you not getting?" Seth laughed,

"You like it, don't you?"

"Maybe a little... she has some good ballads." Seth laughed,

"Aww, Laney" he began to serenade her quite badly with the song "A Moment Like This".

"Seth, shh!" She nearly tackled him to the ground, "What if my mom hears?"

"Your mom's not home!"

"My mom is in town somewhere. And she can sense non-Christian music. She'll come home to shield me from it and then a two-year-long relationship will be down the drain." Seth took advantage of the close distance between them and kissed her soundly. He was surprised when she reacted by laughing nervously,

"Oh, I wish you wouldn't do that when I have to tell you what I have to tell you." She pulled back and sat behind a stack of Beach Boys albums. Seth, perplexed, crawled on all fours over to her,

"Wanna tell me what the hell that was all about?"

"Oh, Seth... we've been dating each other for two years now..."

"That has been established, yes."

"But, you know that my Mom... is very into the idea of me dating..." Seth interrupted her,

"She is? We should tell her, then! Get this all out into the open! I hate this secrecy..."

"Seth! She's very into the idea of me dating future Korean doctors... I have a date set for this Saturday."

"A... date?"

"Yeah..." There was a pregnant pause, "Seth, say something."

"Um... cool... Saturday... y'know, Rory's going to Christopher's house this weekend, so Ryan will be alone anyway..."

"Seth..."

"I'll hang out with him..."

"Seth..."

"We can... um... play video games... yeah..."

"Seth!" Seth seemed to return to reality, "He knows."

"Who knows?"

"Sam."

"Sam? Who's Sam?"

"My date for Saturday. He knows that I have a boyfriend, ok? I told him. I've known him for a while. So he knows there's nothing that's gonna happen between us."

"Oh, cool. Sam. Sam... knows you have a boyfriend. Cuz that's gonna make him stop trying to kiss you at the romantic... umm... you didn't say where you were going, but I'm sure it's gonna be romantic..."

"Seth, we're going to the teen hayride."

"Ok, well, the teen hayride. Well, have fun, enjoy your date, and don't get too many pieces of hay shoved up your butt. I have to go. I'll see you later," he leaned in and kissed her quickly, badly masking his frustration, "Bye," he turned to open the window to climb back down Esther. He wanted to just get away for a little while. Maybe go talk to his brother. Somehow get all of the insecurities away from him.

"Seth," Lane pleaded as he lifted the window quickly, "Seth, c'mon."

"No, no. I'm ok. I'll, um... I'll talk to you later," he kissed her one more time before shimmying down the tree.

Dejected, she flopped down onto her bed, muttering a frustrated,

"Crap," before moving to clean up her CDs... except her Kelly Clarkson. That would be on repeat the rest of the day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, he just got up and left?" Rory asked, the phone held to her ear by her shoulder as she painted her toenails a soft pink.

"Not without some angry, upset muttering," Lane responded as she put in her CD of choice. Rory listened as the CD started,

"Death Cab? This really must have you upset."

"It matches my mood."

"Poor thing. Why don't you try and talk to him about it? Call him?"

"I have. I called him a few times. It was all nice small talk, even though he sounded different than usual, and then whenever I tried to turn the subject, all I got were grunts and 'yeah, okay's."

"That's not Seth."

"No, it's not. Usually, Seth would be joking around, possibly throwing in some _Young Frankenstein _jokes."

"Hay, hay, roll in the hay?"

"Three times in the past two weeks. I don't even know what to do anymore. I know he doesn't like that we have to hide the relationship, and then this just set him off."

"Maybe you should just tell your mom."

"Tell her what?"

"That you're dating Seth. That way, there's no more hiding, no more future Korean doctor dates, no more my mom saying that you went out with us when you're actually at a movie with Seth."

"Oh, yeah. That conversation would go over well. I could picture it now. 'Mama, I have something to tell you.' 'Eat some soy first. Very fresh, but only lasts two more hours.' 'Mama, I have a boyfriend.' 'Is it Inhwan, the boy who you attended the church banquet with?' 'No, mama. It's Seth Cohen.' 'Cohen? That doesn't sound Korean.' 'It's not, mama. He's Jewish. And we've been dating for two years' 'Oh, Lane. You love to kid me. You would never date a non-Korean unless you wanted to be locked in your room for the rest of your life.' 'I am dating a non-Korean, mama. Seth Cohen. His brother's dating Rory.' 'Well, then, up to your room right now, and don't touch the blinds for light. I want you to sit and read the bible through seven times.'"

"You're over-dramatizing."

"Am I? Do you not remember the Hell Dogs incident?"

"Ok, maybe you aren't." Lane sighed,

"Can I have your parents? For just a day or two?"

"You don't want my parents. At least, not right now. My mom is currently mayor of mood swing city and my dad is still doing that thing where he watches over me and Ryan like a motion-sensitive camera. It's gotten worse lately."

"Well, your mom was around your age when she got pregnant."

"I know. And I understand. It's just, it scares Ryan sometimes. Maybe once there are babies in the house, he'll relax a little."

"Maybe... Hey, you're gonna call me when your mom goes into labor?"

"Of course. Hey, did you ever use my suggestion?"

"Asking my mom where babies come from? Yeah. I got a twenty minute lecture on the miracles that an angel's wings perform. Thanks for that, by the way." Rory laughed,

"Sorry."

"That's alright. Just make sure I don't do anything stupid like let my mom find out about Seth."

"Can do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I just... I don't know what to do, man," Seth told Ryan as they walked over the threshold of Doose's Market, glancing around to make sure that Mrs. Kim wasn't in sight.

"Why? Because she's going out on a date with some other guy that she doesn't like and who knows that you exist? I think you're getting yourself worked up over nothing," Ryan grabbed the largest bag of Sour Patch Kids off of the shelf; he knew that they were Rory's favorites (as well as his), and that they would help her feel better about her Saturday excursion.

"No, I'm not. I mean, how would you feel if Luke and Lorelai set Rory up with a date that they wanted her to wind up with?" Ryan shook his head, tossing a bag of M&Ms in to join the rest of the massive quantities of junk food that he had bought for his and Rory's movie date; she had decided that she'd rather stay in on Friday night and just relax with Ryan before her day with Christopher.

"I think that wouldn't be good, but if she doesn't like the guy, I trust her, and the guy knows that she has a boyfriend? I can't say I'd be ok with it, but I'd be coping with it."

"We have to do something about it," Seth said decisively, throwing marshmallows into the rapidly-growing pile of differently-shaped sugar.

"Like what, Seth?" Seth was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking deeply about the situation at hand. Suddenly, a look of realization washed over his face,

"Ryyyyyyan." _Oh no. This can't be anything good._

"What, Seth?" he asked, expecting the worst.

"You're my brother, right?"

"If the realization just hit you now, then you deserve to lose Lane to the Korean Doogie Howser."

"Ryan, Ryan, my favorite brother... my favorite relative, to be honest..."

"What do you want, Seth?"

"Well, Ry, since you offered... I want to do a spy thing... a covert operation..." Ryan cut him off,

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you, my dear brother, are the biggest klutz that ever lived."

"Hey, I can be stealth!"

"Seth," Ryan said warningly, stepping into the checkout line.

"Please, Ry? Just hold a walkie-talkie while I follow her around and keep an eye on what's going on."

"Seth, this is ridiculous."

"Please?"

"Seth..."

"Please... help your only brother out..."

"Seth..."

"Fine, you play hardball, but... I'll clean your room for a week." Ryan smiled,

"I was gonna say yes anyway, but hey, if you're offering..." He handed the cashier the money and was off before Seth could protest.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Rory, he's here!" Lorelai's voice echoed into the kitchen as they heard her waddle towards the front door. Rory grabbed the lunch that her father had made her and stuffed it into her oversized purse, already filled with snacks, books, a small collection of CDs, and her CD player.

"You have everything?" She grabbed her cell phone off of the kitchen counter,

"Now I do."

"Ok. I'll be here or at the diner if you need me. Mom will be here all day. Jess is out with Ally, but I don't know why you would need to get in touch with him. If, for some unknown reason you can't reach us, call Kirsten and Sandy. You have your lunch. Be polite, be good, don't make any faces if he tries to feed you squid like last time, don't freak out and throw the squid if he does feed it to you, that was a disaster last time, and I'll be there to get you at ten," Rory nodded, "Ok. I love you. Have fun."

"Love you, too, daddy." She hugged him and he kissed her hair; they paused for a moment before he told her,

"Ok, you should go."

"Alright. Bye, dad."

"Bye, honey."

Rory moved through the house to find Lorelai standing at the front door, Christopher on the other side.

"Hey, kiddo. You ready to go?" She nodded wordlessly, "Ok, let's go," he turned to Lorelai, "Nice seeing you again, Lor," he turned and jogged back to the small rental car; Luke and Lorelai never allowed Rory on his motorcycle.

"Hey," Lorelai said to Rory, "You ok?" Rory nodded unconvincingly, "Listen, sweets, I know you don't like going."

"That's the understatement of the century," Rory muttered as Lorelai forged on,

"But it means a lot to daddy that you go. It's from when you were little. He didn't want you to resent him."

"But I'm older now. I'm almost sixteen. I won't resent daddy. I love daddy. I don't want to go."

"Rory, please. Mommy is _very_ pregnant and _very _cranky. Just go? For me and dad?" Rory nodded,

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I'm not cutting you out as my best friend quite yet." Rory giggled,

"Bye, mom. I'll see you later. Love you." She kissed Lorelai's cheek.

"Love you, too. Have fun."

"A barrel of monkeys."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan felt as though he was going through a tunnel.

A sliver of light kept flashing repeatedly in front of him in quick succession. Light slivers. Dark. Light. Dark. Light. Dark.

He had the distinct impression that there was a train barreling towards him... then away from him... then towards him... then away from him.

He could've sworn that he heard the distinctive cry of the red Robin in the distance.

_Wait. _

The red Robin?

That's not something that could kill me.

He blinked to adjust to bright (then nonexistent, then bright, then nonexistent) light in his room and struggled to make out the character in front of him.

There he was, in all of his excited/anxious/eager-for-today glory, his unruly brown curls protruding messily from his scalp, his brown eyes tinged with anticipation, his lips pursed, producing an obnoxious whistle.

"Seth," Ryan groaned as he rolled over to look at his alarm clock. _9:02_.

"Oh, good. You're up," Seth said, finally opening the blinds (_The flashing lights_), turning off the vacuum (_There's my train) _, and ending the whistle (_Seth Cohen, red Robin himself_).

"Seth, would you care to explain why in the name of all that is holy you woke me up at nine on a Saturday morning?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you up? I was doing my promised room cleaning and I just... ok, I woke you up."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Because the store opens next week and Mom and Dad want me to come help set up?"

"No, I need your services to myself today."

"Seth, the hayride isn't until five." Seth nodded,

"But the pre-hayride picnic and brunch is at eleven. And I need you to come and help me."

"Because?" Ryan closed his eyes again and allowed his head to sink into his favorite pillow.

"Because Lane will be picnicking and brunching with Sam the doctor man during said day of wholesome teen fun. And I need to prevent anything from happening." Ryan groaned,

"I'll be out in five minutes." Seth stood up, thanking his brother repeatedly as he walked towards the oak door. Before closing it, he mentioned,

"Wear black."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat stoically, staring straight ahead of her. She was angry.

She was angry at her mother for using pregnant woman guilt.

She was angry at her father for wanting her not to resent him.

She was angry at Christopher for making her go in the first place.

She sighed. Unlike other teenagers, she never said that she hated them. In fact, she knew that this was a fleeting moment of bad feelings in a sea of general happiness.

She didn't hate Chris. She knew that. She hated what he had done.

Fighting with her father? A negative in any case. Fighting with her father on his wedding day to her mother? An extremely low negative. Fighting with her father on his wedding day in front of his daughter? Rock bottom.

Chris was always civil around Luke, as was Luke around Chris. He was always nice to Rory. He was always nice to Lorelai.

But still. Rory didn't like the fact that once a year, he tore her away from her parents without her consultation to show her off to his friends and colleagues. That he never called during the year, and only sent a birthday card filled with a hundred dollars as a gift each year, yet still managed to make himself seem like Superdad to his girlfriends.

"So, Rory... your mom... she's really pregnant, isn't she?"

"What gave it away?" she responded dryly, reaching into her purse for her CD player.

"Well, um... when's she due?"

"One month."

"She's thirty-two weeks?"

"Thirty-six. A pregnancy is actually ten months long. Forty weeks."

"Oh... I didn't know that."

"Well, learn something new every day." There was an awkward silence as Rory turned on her Discman.

"Do you... know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Yes." Christopher left a pause, expecting Rory to elaborate. When she didn't, he prompted,

"And?"

"I promised not to tell." Another awkward pause.

"So... your cousin still lives with you?"

"Yes." Christopher sighed, realizing he wasn't getting anywhere, and turned on the radio. Relieved, Rory put on her headphones, switched to song number four, and let lyrics play through her ears,

"_I'm a terrible person. Cuz I've made up my mind. I'm a terrible person. Cuz I've led her on..._"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan, dressed in a black t-shirt, a gray hoodie, and cargo pants, walked into his parents' nearly-finished ice cream store.

"Mom? Dad? I'm here!" Ryan said, grabbing a cone and moving to the newly-installed soft ice cream store.

"Ry, hey, sweetie" his mother said, leaning over to give him a kiss as she breezed out of the store, "Bye, sweetie." Ryan whipped his head around to watch her go.

"Ryan? Is that you?" His father's voice echoed from the back office.

"Yeah, pops. It's me."

"Pops?" Sandy asked, emerging to greet his son. Ryan shrugged,

"Just trying something new." Sandy laughed,

"Seth let you on parole?"

"I have ten minutes. I have strict instructions- get ice cream, get a soda, go back and meet him." The boys hadn't told their parents exactly what had happened, but they had given them the gist.

"Uh-huh. And you've been gone for how long now?"

"Twenty. So if I go back now, it's sooner than expected," Sandy laughed, "Hey, I'm doing him a favor."

"It's always good to know that you boys have each other's backs."

"You know it." Sandy grabbed a cup for Ryan to flip Seth's vanilla cone into,

"Ry, as long as you're here, could you help me out?"

"Sure, dad. What do you need?"

"Could you just tape the toppings selection on top of the counter, please?"

"Random pieces of candy taped to the counter?" Sandy threw him a look,

"The jars of candy, Pauly Shore."

"Hey! That was cruel and unusual!" Sandy sighed,

"Ryan, please. It would help your mother and me a lot."

"Sure thing, dad."

"And Seth isn't here? He sent you by yourself?"

"Girlfriend problems. Matters of the heart cannot be rushed due to topping needs." Sandy laughed,

"Smart-alecs. The both of you... I raised you right."

"Yeah, dad," suddenly, a crackling noise interrupted the conversation, Seth's voice yelling,

"Ryan?... Ryan, come in... Ryan, are you there?... over..."

"Sorry, dad. My pants need guidance." Ryan waved goodbye and set out towards the town square.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Rory, would you like some more mac and cheese?" Rory rolled her eyes without letting Christopher see her,

"Sure," the orange goo slopped onto her plate, "Thanks." She had reduced herself to monosyllabic answers.

"So... school's good?"

"Yes."

"What's your GPA?"

"4.3."

"Wow... that's umm... straight A-pluses, isn't it?"

"Give or take."

There was another awkward pause,

"So... your birthday is coming up," she nodded, unconcerned, "Umm... is there anything particular that you want?"

"A healthy sibling. And a night of relaxation with my parents, friends, and Ryan," Rory covered her mouth quickly; she hadn't yet told Christopher about _that _aspect of her life.

"Ryan? Who's Ryan?"

She was saved the embarrassment of answering by the ringing of her cellphone.

"Excuse me," she stood up and ducked into the kitchen; when she had glanced at the phone and saw he was calling, she felt a mix of dread at Chris seeing and relief that she had a break for a conversation with someone that she wanted to talk to.

"Hey," she breathed into the phone.

"Hey," Ryan's voice breezed back, "How are you?" she shrugged,

"Medium. I want to show him that I don't approve of what he's done. I feel like I'm being _such_ a bitch, though... and don't you dare say a word."

"I wasn't planning on it. I'd like to keep this relationship going."

"Good plan. So... what are you doing today if I'm not there?" she asked, slight nerves evident in her voice. She heard him laugh cynically on the other end,

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me." Ryan sighed,

"Well... you know Lane's whole doctor-date thing?"

"Yeah."

"Seth is making me pull a 007."

"He's _what_?"

"We're spending the day following her and Sam around town." Rory laughed audibly for the first time all day,

"Does she suspect?"

"No, but Taylor's suspicious. Three times, I heard him mutter about 'Those darn Cohen boys' and something about 'Getting someone to trail them.'"

"You're kidding."

"Could I make this up?"

"Wish I could say you could."

"Alright. I'm here. I should go meet Seth."

"Hey, Ry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for last night. It really helped."

"Enough sugar in your system?"

"Yeah. I brought the leftovers today. You're a lifesaver."

"You needed it."

"I did. Thanks."

"Any time... I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I should be back by ten-thirty. Maybe I could stop over for an hour."

"We'll see. Maybe. I'll call you later?"

"Please. Bye."

"Bye."

Ryan flipped the phone shut and proceeded stealthily towards the bush where his brother was hidden.

"Ah, ice cream, great. Thanks," Seth said, grabbing the ice cream from Ryan with his left hand. With his right, he lifted the binoculars back up to his eyes,

"Look, look! There they are!" Ryan brushed a branch away from his eyes,

"Seth, is there a reason that we have to wait in a bush?" Seth pulled down his binoculars.

"Because otherwise she'll see us watching her and I'll look stupid."

"Yeah, because brilliance is radiating from this bush right now."

"Ryan, mock if you want, but I have to do this."

"C'mon, Seth," Ryan said, shifting a little, "Oh, crap!"

"What happened? Did he kiss her? Did he go near her?"

"No, king of the one-track minds. I just stepped in a huge puddle. Mom's gonna kill me. These are my new fifty-dollar pants that she got me to wear to the opening. I have to go home and get changed." Seth grabbed his brother's arm,

"No, Ryan."

"What?" His brother was insane, his girlfriend was miserable, and to top it all off, his foot was wet. He had no patience left.

"You can't go."

"Oh, Seth. I know you love me, but, see, the problem is, I have a girlfriend. Plus, I'm your brother. It would make family gatherings awkward."

"Shut up."

"Why can't I go?"

"Lane will see you if you keep moving around back and forth like that. She'll know something's up."

"You're insane. I'm going."

"No!"

"Mom's gonna kill me, and if I die, you're going with me," He crouched down for a second before announcing before Seth could protest, "I'll be back in twenty minutes," and took off as quickly as he could.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well, Rory, it's nice to meet you," the tall blonde said as she shook Rory's hand.

"You, too, Jennifer," Rory smiled a fake half-smile- the one that her mother had taught her was appropriate for just such an occasion.

"Bye, Jen."

"Bye, Chris," she leaned forward and kissed Christopher lightly on the lips. Christopher shut the door behind the woman and sighed before looking Rory in the eye,

"So, that was fun."

"Yeah, whatever."

"What?" She exhaled exasperatedly,

"I'm not cute." Christopher was confused,

"Huh?"

"I'm almost sixteen. I'm not cute. I'm past the age of cute," she wasn't trying to hide her annoyance.

"You're still my little girl."

"No, I'm not," she pulled away as he tried to put his arm around her.

"Yes, you are. You always will be."

"No, I'm not. I never was. Especially not now. Next month, I'm going for my permit. It's almost my birthday. Not that you care." Christopher was fed up,

"Hey, this attitude is wearing thin!"

"Yeah, well, silk is the finest material."

"Rory, I'm your father! I don't appreciate this attitude of yours."

"You're not my father! I have a father. Just because your chromosomes made me, doesn't make me your kid."

A million thoughts ran through Christopher's head.

**_How dare she? I gave her life, I am her father, _**the emotional side thought. But then, the rational side interrupted, _But, a father is someone who's with her all the time. Who raised her. That's not me. **But I don't like this attitude she's giving me. She should be respectful. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't exist at all! **But what have I done for her lately? A birthday card and some money? Luke is the one who takes care of her. Luke's the one that she calls Daddy. **Luke's a punk. He stole my family. **They were never really my family. **They were when we were sixteen.** But I'm an adult now._

He was wrestled away from his thoughts by the ringing of a cell phone. He looked up to see Rory pull her small silver phone out of her pocket. Without so much as glancing at him, she walked away and flipped open the phone,

"Hi, daddy. What's up?... No, I'm ok. How are you?... What's wrong?... Mom's WHAT?... Dad, how am I supposed to get there!... No, no. I didn't mean to yell at you. It was more of a reaction type thing and... yeah, yeah... We'll find some way... Kirsten and Sandy?... Two hours? That's the earliest they can come? I don't want to miss anything... Yeah, dad. I know... Ok... I love you, too... Tell mom to hold on for me, ok?... Bye, daddy." Rory sank into a chair.

"Rory, what's the matter?"

"Um... it's... mom."

"What about your mom?"

"She's in labor, Chris," tears quickly began to flow, "She's in labor and it's a month early and Sandy and Kirsten are coming to pick me up in two hours at the earliest and... I don't know what to do or think..." _C'mon, man. Do at least one fatherly thing for her in her whole life._

"Get your coat." She looked up at him with bloodshot eyes and tearstained cheeks,

"What?"

"Get your coat. Let's go."

"Go where?"

"To Disney Land. We just won the Superbowl... Where the hell do you think we're going! Do you know what hospital she's at?" Rory looked flustered and got up, grabbing her coat,

"Hartford Memorial."

"Call your dad," he said without hesitation, "Tell him we're on our way."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Seth," Ryan whined, "This is ridiculous."

"Just another few hours, bro. Then it'll be all over and I'll owe you big time." Ryan glanced down at his outfit. He was dressed in an argyle sweater-vest over a dress shirt, a pair of olive-green khakis, dress shoes, and a baseball cap which was pulled down over his eyes (which were hidden beneath lensless, thickly-rimmed black glasses).

"Big time," Ryan repeated. He looked at Seth, who was dressed in an oversized gray hoodie, oversized jeans, black sunglasses, and a Yankees cap pulled down over his shaded eyes, his dark curls spilling out from underneath. Ryan moved to speak again, but Seth cut him off,

"Shh! Shh! Here they come!" He turned his head, keeping his body sat in the same position at the wooden picnic table.

They watched as Lane and Sam walked together quietly, without smiling. They looked miserable; Seth was ecstatic. They watched as the people they walked with discussed Psalms, Christianity, and redemption, Lane rolling her eyes and muttering under her breath. At one point, Seth noted that she began to go over her entire CD collection, and then began to sing to herself "A Moment Like This."

Seth smiled.

The hidden meaning wasn't lost on him.

He was about to tell Ryan that he was ok with leaving when Ryan's cell phone rang. Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out the small phone. He glanced at the screen before showing it to Seth. _Mom Cell_. Seth nodded and Ryan answered in a hushed voice,

"Hello?... Hey, mom. What's up?... Lorelai's having... Lorelai's in... Holy shit... Sorry, mom... Ok... Ok, we'll meet you at home... Yeah, see you in a bit... Bye," He snapped the phone shut, "Lorelai's in labor," he said without pause.

"She's in..." Seth couldn't get the words out. Before he knew it, he stood up and ran over to Lane, "Lane!" Lane didn't attempt to hide the surprise on her face or in her voice,

"Seth! What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the store with your parents? And why are you dressed like that?"

"Lorelai... the baby is... the babies are... giving birth to Lorelai..."

"Wait... what's going on?"

"Babies... Lorelai... Hospital... Birth..." Ryan came running up behind and Lane couldn't help but laugh; he looked ridiculous,

"Can I help you, Minkus?" Ryan shook his head; he was in no mood to joke,

"Lorelai's in labor. Our parents are waiting for us at our house to go to the hospital. C'mon." Lane looked torn; her best friend's mother was in labor. She had promised to come support Rory. She had to go be there for Rory- especially since the labor was a month early.

"Sam, I have to go," she said definitely, running off towards the Cohens' with Seth and Ryan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Luke! Where is she?" The Cohens skidded into the hospital waiting room. Luke spun around to greet his friends,

"Hey, she's checked in already. Rory's..." he took in Seth and Ryan's appearance and changed his course of conversation, "Hey, Marky Mark and Urkel are here!" Ryan shook off the comment,

"Where's Rory? She's not here yet, is she?"

"What, you don't want her to miss you dressed like this? We can take pictures. Get together with thug boy over there." Seth crossed his arms defiantly over his chest,

"Yo."

"C'mon. If your last name is Cohen and you're dressed like some kind of stereotype, get together for a picture."

Lane, still puzzled by her boyfriend and his brother's appearances, stepped aside.

Just as Luke was about to take the picture, Rory rounded the corner,

"Daddy! Dad!" Rory ran to her father and threw her arms around him.

"How is she?"

"She's all settled."

"Can I see her?" He nodded,

"I'm gonna go tell her that you're here," Luke looked up at Chris, who had wandered in behind Rory, and said sincerely, "Thanks for bringing her, man."

"No problem."

She turned her attention away from Christopher and her father,

"Lane! Oh my G-d! I forgot to call you! I'm _so_ sorry!"

"Hey, don't worry about it. The boys got me." Rory nodded and turned to Ryan and Seth,

"Thanks." Ryan wrapped his arm around her small body, holding her in a tight hug as he kissed the top of her head.

Christopher watched on, _So, that must be Ryan._

"Rory Danes?" Rory lifted her head from her boyfriend's chest and stared hopefully at a gray-haired female doctor.

"That's me."

"I'm Dr. Anderson. I'm your mother's OB-GYN. Your father asked me to come talk to you."

"How is she? How are the babies?" _Babies?_ No one else seemed to notice anything strange besides Chris.

"She's alright. Your cousin is in there with her... Rory, what we're dealing with here is a premature delivery. Your siblings are going to have to be in incubators for a few days after the birth, but they should be fine. This is quite common in cases such as this." _Siblings? They? Cases such as this? Are there..._

"She'll be alright?"

"Yes."

"And the twins?"

"Will be fine," _TWINS? No one told **me** anything about twins_, "You can go in and see her if you'd like."

"Just a minute," The woman nodded and walked away as Rory turned to Kirsten and Sandy, "I'm judging by your reactions or... lack thereof that my parents can't keep a secret either?"

"Nope."

"When did mom tell you?" Rory asked Kirsten; there was no question about who told whom.

"About a week after you found out. Her exact words were, 'I have a secret that I'm not supposed to tell you, but I know that my kids can't keep a secret, so Rory and Jess probably have already told Ryan, Seth, and Lane. We're having twins.'" Rory nodded and turned to Sandy,

"Dad told you..."

"Believe it or not, the day before your mom spilled the beans. He thought you'd both already told. So, he told me six months ago that there were two babies." Seth's eyes widened,

"You guys knew way back then?"

"Yeah, why?" Rory laughed,

"Jess and I didn't break until last week. Made them promise to keep referring to the babies as singular."

"That's so unfair!" Ryan exclaimed. Rory leaned up and kissed his cheek, "Ok, it's a little less unfair." Rory giggled,

"I'm going in to see my mom."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory knocked on the door to her mother's hospital room,

"Mom?"

"Hey, sweetheart. C'mon in," Rory opened the door slowly to find her mother sans makeup, her hair a mess, Jess holding her hand tightly.

"Hey, mommy. How you doing?"

"Been better," she answered, patting an arbitrary space next to her on the bed, "How you holding up?"

"I'm ok. You're a fighter. Odds are, so are the babies. I'm relying on that." Lorelai sighed,

"Try and get your cousin to understand that. He hasn't left my side since they brought me in."

"You're having my baby cousins. A month early, I might add. I cannot let any of you get hurt."

"Jess, honey, that's sweet, but you don't have to be the adult here. That's what I have Luke for. He got me into this mess, anyway."

"Ew, mom!"

"Lorelai! We tried _so _hard not to think about that! Geez!" Luke walked back in, a cup of ice chips in hand, and found that neither of his children could meet his eye,

"What'd I miss?"

"Just mom scarring us for life."

"Same old, same old."

"Daddy..." She needed to get the image out of her mind and her father needed to leave the room in order for that to happen, "I haven't eaten anything since lunch and even then, it was orange slop. Could you get me dinner?"

"Sure," he walked back out.

"How was it? I meant to ask you before." Rory leaned against her mother,

"Well... I was a bitch. He was nice enough. I met Jennifer."

"Flowers?"

"No."

"Aniston?"

"No."

"Lopez?"

"No. She was off seeing why everyone hated Gigli so much."

"New girlfriend?"

"Jennifer Cleaver."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I was this close to asking her how Wally and the Beav were." All three laughed, but stopped as Lorelai had another contraction. She winced in pain and Jess clutched her hand tighter, Rory grabbing her other. Once it had passed, she mentioned,

"You guys know that I'm having a c-section, right?"

"What? Mom, aren't those dangerous?"

"Yeah, can't there be serious complications from that?" Lorelai shook her head,

"No, it's better for the babies. Just trust me on this one, ok?"

"Ok, Lorelai."

"But just because you're having my siblings."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke loaded up two trays- one with Rory's favorite foods, the other with Jess'. One was piled high with a turkey sandwich, chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and a coke. The other was covered with a roast beef sandwich, a salad, a small bag of baked chips, and a water bottle.

He turned around to see Christopher standing by the fruit and decided to make his way over to say hello; he really was grateful that Christopher had brought Rory.

"Chris. Hey."

"Hey," Chris said awkwardly, "Big day, huh?"

"Yeah. Exciting. Like the day I..." he cut himself off. _Like the day I adopted Rory._

"So... you got everything you need? For the babies, I mean."

"Yeah, umm... we made an addition onto the house. Added two new rooms upstairs. One of them's gonna be the nursery for a while," Luke quickly decided that he needed to get away from the small talk, "Look, man, I know we've had out problems in the past, but I really just..." he seemed to be reaching for the right words, "thanks so much for getting her here."

"Oh, no... it was nothing..."

"No, no, it was something. Lorelai needed her here and Jess needed her here and.. hell, I needed her here. I just needed the four of us together for this."

"Yeah... yeah, I get it. These for Rory?" He motioned to the trays. Luke laughed nervously,

"Yeah, it would be Rory to eat both. But, no. This one's for her. The other's for her cousin. I actually need to get them some fruit."

"Here, let me help you," he moved to put a nectarine on Rory's plate, but Luke stopped him,

"Oh, no, no. Rory's allergic to nectarines," _She is? _thought Chris _I didn't know that. _"She loves apples," _She does?_ "We think it's because Lorelai craved apples when she was pregnant." _She did?_

Suddenly, a frantic-looking older couple rushed into the building.

"Emily, please! I am not dressed properly for this type of physical exertion!" Luke look sheepishly back to Chris,

"Excuse me. In-laws." _His._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory and Jess paced nervously in the waiting room. Lorelai had been wheeled into surgery ten minutes earlier (exactly ten minutes, twenty-two... no, twenty-three seconds earlier, according to Rory.) Their family and friends sat and watched them, trying to soothe their nerves.

Finally, Emily tried,

"Rory, dear, sit down. You're giving me a headache." She shook her head,

"I can't sit down. Not until my baby siblings are born." Emily's eyes went wide,

"Sibling, Rory. Until your baby sibling is born." Rory scoffed,

"What, did you have one of them offed?"

"One of them?" Richard asked, suddenly pulled away from his _New Yorker_.

"Twins. Two babies. As in, more than one and less than three," Rory snapped; normally she wouldn't dream of snapping at her grandparents, but she was overly-stressed. Jess caught her mistake before she did.

"Rory," he breathed. Slowly, it dawned on her. Her parents hadn't told her grandparents yet. They had wanted it to be a surprise (from everyone except for the Cohens and Lane).

Just then, Luke emerged from the delivery area. Rory and Jess looked up at him hopefully.

"They're here. Small, but they're here," he said, throwing his arms around his daughter and nephew, kissing them each on the head.

"They'll be ok?"

"They'll be just fine."

"Luke?" Emily said, masking her rage.

"It's a boy, Emily."

"A boy?" Asked Richard. Luke nodded, producing a picture from behind his back.

"Four pounds, ten ounces." Richard beamed proudly at the picture.

"Is that all?" Emily chose to be blunt.

"Is that all?" Luke repeated. Suddenly, he realized and turned to his children, glaring. Jess pointed at Rory, mouthing _Her. _Luke turned to his daughter and shot her a look before turning back to his in-laws.

_C'mon _Jess mouthed.

_Where?_ Rory asked slently.

_To see Lorelai. _They slipped out before anyone saw them go.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory and Jess knocked slightly before entering Lorelai's hospital room.

"Hey, you two."

"Hi, mommy."

"Hi, Aunt Lorelai."

"Come. Have sit." She patted two spaces on either side of her, instructing them to sit down, "You saw the pictures?"

"A baby girl for me to dress up."

"And a baby boy for me to play baseball with."

"We did it that way on purpose. One for each of you," Lorelai joked, "They're perfect. Just like you guys."

"I'm not perfect," Jess blushed.

"And I was a bit of a bitch today," Rory looked away.

"You're perfect to me... So are they. Twenty fingers. Twenty toes. Four perfect blue eyes. Two teeny noses."

"That's on both of the babies combined, right?" Jess ignored his cousin's comment as his uncle walked in, muttering,

"Your parents are insane. We're condemned to holiday dinners at their house for years to come. Until the twins are fifty." The rest laughed.

"Speaking of the twins, do my cousins have names yet?"

"Actually, they do," Luke sat down on the foot of the bed, putting Lorelai's feet in his lap.

"Ok, well, what is my baby brother's name?"

"Well, we wanted to name him after his two grandpas."

"William Richard?" Jess asked; it wasn't a terrible name, but it didn't seem like Lorelai's style.

"No, not William Richard. Though we were this close."

"You guys know that Grandpa William's real first name wasn't William, right?" Rory's eyes widened,

"Oh, no... Daddy, you didn't!"

"Didn't what?" Jess suddenly realized what Rory was insinuating, "You named my cousin Jedediah!" Luke and Lorelai laughed,

"No!"

"We figured that first initials sufficed. So we named him Joshua Ryder."

"Ryder?"

"What? Kate Hudson did it. Be glad I'm not having them call Grandma Glam-ma." Rory laughed,

"Hey, the girl's name isn't Lorelai, is it?"

"I'm not Michael Jackson. We're not gonna call her 'Blanket'."

"Then what's her name?" asked Jess eagerly.

"Hey, I thought you were more excited about Joshua." Jess shook his head,

"I'm gonna need to protect the girl. Especially since I can't protect this one anymore," he motioned to Rory. Luke chose to ignore the comment and answered,

"Hannah Emma."

"After Grandma Helen and Grandma Emily?"

"Yeah." Rory and Jess glanced at each other, coming to an unspoken consensus,

"So... we're gonna go..."

"We'll give you two some alone time..." Luke laughed,

"You want to see the babies, don't you?" Rory stared at the floor,

"Maybe a little." Luke put his arms around each of the teenagers' shoulders,

"C'mon, I'll show you where it is. I'll be back in a few minutes, honey."

"Take your time," she said, staring at the pictures of her family, and the new pictures of her new children.

Life was perfect.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Seth?" Lane sat next to her boyfriend, waiting for the Danes family to reemerge. He glanced back at her,

"Yes, my love?"

"What... what were you doing in that disguise... hiding... at the picnic?" Seth sighed,

"Real answer? Or the one that you'll like better?"

"Real," she said without conviction. Seth stared intently at the floor,

"I was... spying on you. Ryan and I were. All day." Lane was perplexed,

"Reason being?"

"I was... jealous." Lane laughed,

"You were jealous?"

"Yeah. You were going out on a date with another guy. I love you, you know that. And I just... the whole idea creeped me out." It wasn't the first time that Seth had professed his love, but Lane realized it meant extra at that moment. She leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth in the middle of the waiting room, in front of his parents, his brother, and the newly-born babies.

"I love you, too. But... you have to learn to trust me, ok?"

"If you kiss me like that all the time? You can go on dates with other guys every night." Lane laughed and leaned against him.

Just then, the doors swung open.

"Names?" Kirsten asked persistently as Jess, Rory, and Luke reentered the waiting room.

"Hannah Emma," Said Jess, smiling.

"And Joshua Ryder," Rory finished. Luke only smiled. Kirsten nodded,

"You have the badge of approval."

"Can we see them?" asked Ryan eagerly, taking his girlfriend's hand in his own.

"I don't see why not," Luke answered, "After Rory and Jess, sure." He lead the five teenagers towards the NICU (the babies were in incubators and needed to be under constant surveillance for the first few days).

Rory and Jess were the first ones to go in; they found the twins almost immediately.

"They're so tiny," Rory whispered. Jess put his hand on the glass,

"Hey, Hannah. Hey, Joshy. I'm your big cousin. I'm Jess." Rory choked back tears,

"And I'm Rory. I'm your big sister."

"Hey... we just wanted to come in here and see you guys. And we wanted to tell you what you got yourselves into."

"You have entered into a crazy, crazy family. You have us."

"And the Cohens..."

"There's Kirsten and Sandy..."

"Crazy Seth..."

"And my boyfriend, Ryan. You should get used to them."

"And then there's Lane. Lane's Seth's girlfriend. We, um... we spend a lot of time together."

"The best of friends... And then there's your grandma and grandpa. They mean well, and they really do love you. Grandma's excited to meet you guys in a little while. She and Grandpa went downstairs to get coffee."

"Ahh, yes, Coffee. Get used to the smell. Get used to the concept. Coffee is life in the Danes house. Hannah, you will learn to love it whether you want to or not."

"And then... there's Mommy and Daddy. They're the best, you guys. They really, really... they love you guys a lot. Us too. There's... there's a lot of love in our house. We're always doing something together... They're the best parents. In my opinion, at least." Jess was quiet for a second before adding,

"Yeah... they are..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory and Jess spent another five minutes getting to know the new babies before reemerging, Rory's tear-stained cheeks glistening.

"Seth, Ry... your turn. Two at a time." A passing nurse stopped them,

"Are these all your children?" Luke shook his head,

"Just these two," he motioned to Rory and Jess.

"I'm sorry, but it's family only." Luke shook his head,

"They're family."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Seth?"

"Yeah, Ry?"

"Do you suddenly feel... giant?" They stood next to Hannah and Joshua's matching incubators.

"Yes," they were both momentarily silent, "I guess we should... talk to them?"

"I guess... I'll start," Ryan leaned down to be eye-level with Hannah, "Hey, you guys. We're, umm... we're Ryan and Seth. Cohen. We're good friends of your family."

"I'm sure you've heard all about us from your big sister and cousin. We're memorable."

"Well, look. Umm... this world that you've gotten yourselves into? It's pretty cool. Especially the way you got in here."

"Yeah. You, uh... you got something that most people don't have. You have a twin."

"We're umm... we're twins... Not the same way you guys are. But everyone says we're twins. We know we are. Our mom... she was just too tiny to hold us both in her stomach."

"So someone else carried Ryan. And our mom carried me. And then, when he was born, he came back to his family." Seth and Ryan smiled at each other, reminiscing about the story they had been told when they had asked, at age three, why Ryan was adopted.

"So, umm... you guys... you have a lot of love. Especially from your mommy and daddy."

"Us. Lane. Jess."

"And Rory. Rory's... Rory's my girlfriend, you guys. And I love her a lot. She's really sweet. I know you'll love her as much as I do..." he paused and considered, "Just in a very different way."


	18. Decisions

_A/N- I love reviewsssss! Just thought I'd say that..._

_A/N 2- Questions! I love the over-cheesiness, but I tried to throw a little bit of drama into this chapter... I'm sorry if I made you throw up from sugar overload ;)... Also, yeah, I figured out later about the chapters and the repetition and I have no idea why... whatev, lol... when you see A/N, for future reference, remember that that's always the beginning of the chapter._

_Dedication #1- To... omg this is a long list of people... those who knew that the CD that Rory was listening to was Rooney (and that the song was "I'm a Terrible Person)... That would be Ally (plus she gave me the cd, so bonus points there!), Arlene (AKA Bridget... AKA Bee), Carpanthers21, PrincessSparkle09, TJ6, NIk, La Petite Rose, Iheartmusic, Chelsea, Snowboardbaby526, silentdaydreamer,and Harmmac82... woah... I def thought I was the only one who listened to Rooney, because most people I know have never heard of them. But then again, most people I know aren't obsessed with the OC, so then again... _

_Dedication #2- Special dedication to Ally, because I know she'll pull through this... And maybe she'll actually go to sleep..._

_New Challenge: When Lorelai's sitting on the couch later in the chapter, she's watching a movie, and I put in a little bit of the dialogue from that movie. Anyone who can name it gets the next chapter dedicated to them... Same rules as always..._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the movie ticket I'm gonna get when I go see Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants tomorrow. I've been looking forward to this for a long time..._

Decisions

Lorelai rushed through her house frantically at six-thirty in the morning, a wailing Josh planted in her arms.

It had been two weeks since the birth of the Danes' twins, and one since the babies were taken out of incubators and given the ok to go home.

The minute that Hannah and Joshua were brought home, everything changed. Luke and Lorelai were always rushing; when they weren't changing a diaper (which was rare), they were feeding a baby. When a baby wasn't spitting up, a baby was crying. Whenever a baby was asleep, a teenager needed to be driven somewhere. Life was hectic.

"Jess, get up!" Lorelai rapped on the basement door with her free hand, "You have to leave for school in an hour and you still need to shower, eat breakfast, and get dressed," when she received no answer, she added, "Or you could stay home today and be on diaper duty all day."

"I'm up, I'm up!" his tired voice echoed up the stairs. Satisfied that three of her children were now awake, she proceeded to the fourth... _the first, really_ she mused. She placed a pacifier in Joshua's mouth and placed him in a car seat, proceeding to Rory's door. She rapped a few times, prepared with a quip if Rory didn't answer, but to her surprise, the door flew open, a showered and dressed Rory emerging,

"Can I help you?" Lorelai shook her head, grinning. She leaned in and kissed her eldest daughter's cheek, beginning to coo,

"Rory's the best! Yes, she is! She gets up and dressed all by herself. Yes, she does." Rory glanced skeptically sideways at her mother as she poured herself a cup of coffee (which she promptly coughed back out; it was decaf since her mother was still nursing) and made a mental note to stop at the diner for some real coffee before heading off to school,

"Mom. Baby talk goes with the small ones. The little versions," she pointed at Josh, who was now asleep again in his seat, and dumped the coffee down the drain.

"Sorry. Back to regular mode now," she rubbed sleepily at her eyes, "What's on your agenda for today?"

"School. Then studying. Out to get final touch-ups for Halloween costumes for tomorrow. Then maybe out to see a late movie with Ryan, if that's ok with you." Lorelai yawned,

"It's ok with me. Just check with dad."

"Where is he?"

"Upstairs. Hannah needed a change and I'm on Josh duty at the moment." Her eyes blinked rapidly and fell together as Lorelai fought sleep.

"Mom?" Rory said softly. No answer, "Mom?" A little bit louder, but still no answer. "Mom!" She said loudly, startling Lorelai awake, "Are you ok?"

"What? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine... I need to run a load of the babies' clothes, though. While I have a moment of peace." Rory sighed and shook her head,

"Mom, you're exhausted. Why don't you and dad go upstairs and go back to sleep. Jess and I will keep an eye on the twins until school. At least this way, you guys can each have an hour." Lorelai smiled sleepily at Rory,

"That's sweet, but there's really so much to do. And you have stuff to do also. Go finish getting ready."

"I am finished, mom. Let me help." Lorelai sighed and took in her daughter's appearance; she was clad in a pink sweater and jeans and did indeed seem ready to go. She was just about to give in when she heard cries coming from across the kitchen. She stood up, muttering,

"Joshy, go back to sleep, baby. C'mon," but Rory stopped her, gently pushing away her arms. Instead, Rory leaned forward and nestled Josh in her own arms,

"Back to bed."

"But, Ror..."

"Bed."

"Rory..."

"Bed!" Lorelai sighed, defeated, and trudged upstairs, Rory trailing behind. When her mother veered left into her bedroom, Rory turned right, into the pale pink-and-blue nursery. Luke sat peacefully in the rocking chair, Hannah resting in his arms, dozing off. Rory shook her head and leaned forward to take her sister; she had perfected the art of holding two babies the first night she had been allowed to hold her siblings. Luke's grip instinctively went slightly tighter around the baby. Rory sighed,

"Dad, go back to bed." He opened his eyes slowly, taking in his surroundings,

"What?... Rory. Hey, honey. What's up?"

"Go back to sleep, dad."

"No, no. I'm ok."

"You're not ok, daddy. I've never seen you doze off at six thirty in the morning. Give me Hannah. Go back into your room. Jess and I will watch the twins until we have to go to school. Get another hour of sleep in."

"Rory, that's great of you, but I really have a lot..."

"A lot to do. I know. I've heard the speech from mom. Who, by the way, is asleep in your bed right now. So go and join her," she paused and considered before clarifying gently, "Get some sleep." He sighed, defeated, and handed his youngest daughter to his eldest.

It was going to be a long eighteen years.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Seth, no."

"C'mon, Ry."

"No."

"Ryan..."

"No!" Kirsten glanced up from the ice cream store manual at her boys,

"What are you two arguing about?"

"Halloween," Ryan answered, grabbing a mug from the cabinet and proceeding to pour himself a cup of coffee. Their argument had been long-standing, and now, the day before Halloween, they still were costumeless.

"Oh. Seth, what do you want to dress up as now?"

"I wanted to do a Simpsons thing. I'll be Homer, Rory can be Lisa, Jess can be Bart, and Lane can be Maggie."

"You conveniently left out my part." Seth sighed,

"So I want you to play Marge to my Homer. What's wrong with that?" Kirsten choked on the coffee already in her mouth,

"Seth, that's worse than the Disney Princesses idea!"

"Why?" Seth whined.

"You honestly want your brother to dress up as Marge because you want to be Homer?"

"Oh, sure, take his side."

"If Ryan wanted you to dress up as the Nana to his Grandpa, then I would take your side."

"Now _there's_ an idea." Ryan shook his head vehemently and picked at a piece of toast already on a plate before sitting down next to his mother,

"We almost ready for the opening?" Kirsten nodded nervously. The scheduled opening had been postponed two weeks to the next day (Friday the thirty-first- Halloween) due to the premature birth of the Danes twins. They had vowed to be around to help as much as possible. Besides, other than their sons, the main people that Kirsten and Sandy wanted at the opening was the Danes family, and that would be impossible with Hannah and Joshua in the hospital.

"Just about there. The ice cream shipment is coming in today since opening is tomorrow. We're actually going to need you boys after school. Do you have any plans tonight?" Both boys (along with Rory and Jess after some negotiations with Luke and Lorelai) were going to be allowed to miss school the next day to help with the opening. Seth shook his head,

"Lane's on probation since leaving Sam to go with us when Josh and Hannah were born, so no more dates for another two weeks or so." Ryan shrugged,

"Rory and I had semi-plans to see a lateish movie, if that was ok with you, but I can postpone."

"No, no. You can go. What we need shouldn't take too long. As long as you do your homework, it should be fine." They heard whistles outside the house and Ryan nodded towards the front door,

"Jess and Rory are here."

"Our chariot awaits," Seth joked.

"Bye, mom," Kirsten tapped her cheek and Ryan rolled his eyes but obliged, kissing the spot where his mother's finger had just been.

"Mother dearest," Seth followed suit as Ryan waited. They called a goodbye to their father, who was upstairs peeling through a sign catalogue and made their way outside.

"Hey," Ryan called, closing the front door behind him, "You been waiting long?" Jess yawned,

"Two minutes." Ryan leaned over and kissed Rory on the cheek.

"You'll excuse me if I don't greet you similarly," Seth told Jess, watching his brother and Rory wrap their arms around each other.

"I will."

"So, how are you?" Ryan glanced down at her red Rutgers sweatshirt that she wore over a blue tank top. She yawned,

"Exhausted. Jess and I gave my parents the morning off to sleep and we watched Hannah and Josh. I had to change my shirt four times." He sniggered a little, but restrained himself when he saw the look in his girlfriend's eyes,

"Why?"

"Josh spit up on me. Then Hannah spit up on me. Then I poured powder all over myself accidentally."

"Aww, poor baby."

"I was wide awake this morning. Then I watched the twins. I can see why my parents are so tired all the time lately."

"Yeah, you look terrible," Seth contributed.

"What do you mean by that, Seth?" She was suddenly angry and defensive. Seth held his hands up,

"I just mean that you look tired. You need to get some sleep." Rory sighed and wiped tears from her eyes,

"I know. I'm stressed. With all the extra activities and the whole waiting for acceptance into Chilton and the babies. And I know we're all going through it. All four of us. But for some reason, it's really affecting me. It's more difficult with the two of them, though. They're always crying or hungry or need a diaper change. I have no idea how my parents do it." Ryan wiped at the tears on her cheeks and glanced at Seth, who mouthed,

"What was that?" Ryan shrugged, confused, and they finished their walk to school.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh, Hannie, c'mon, baby doll. You're so tired. Go to sleep," Lorelai rocked with her youngest daughter as Luke finished changing his son.

"C'mon, big boy. All done."

"Feel a little bit refreshed?" Lorelai asked her husband in baby talk.

"Honey..."

"Right, right. I'm normal now. It's hard for me to jump in and out of it sometimes."

"Yeah. I am. The kids are probably exhausted, though."

"Probably. Jess was insanely tired the minute he woke up today."

"He's a teenage boy. We'll be going through that with this one in about fourteen years."

"Were you that way?"

"Always sleeping?"

"Yeah."

"I went to sleep late and woke up late. Not so much of an always-sleeping kinda guy. I actually used to fight sleep." Lorelai nodded,

"Well, at least we know where Hannah gets it." They had quickly learned that Joshua was the twin who could, and would, fall in and out of sleep easily, much like his mother. Hannah had a tendency to fight sleep as long as she could and become overtired.

They heard the rustle of footsteps outside and Luke sighed,

"Mail's here."

"You go get it. Gimme Josh." Luke handed his son to his wife and took a backwards glance at three of the five people he loved most in the world, all looking tired, worn, and covered in spit up.

"Hey, Kirk. Mail already in there?"

"Luke. I saw you took off of the diner."

"I'm just staying home for a few weeks to help Lorelai with the twins."

"Ahh, yes. I heard that you had twins. Two boys?"

"No, Kirk. Hannah and Joshua."

"So, two girls, then?" Luke furrowed his brow at Kirk and made a mental note to make sure to never drop the twins on their heads; this was a terrifying indication of what the future could hold.

"No, Kirk. Hannah's a girl. Joshua's a boy," he was about to explain further but stopped himself, knowing it would be fruitless, "What are you doing?"

"Sorting through the mail... Heyyy. Why aren't you inside with the babies? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Lorelai's inside with them, Kirk," he reached for the pile of mail in Kirk's hands, but Kirk pulled it away,

"But isn't that dangerous? I mean, what if they double-team her?"

"They can't hold their heads up yet, Kirk. They're not going to double-team Lorelai."

"You should keep an eye on that," Kirk offered, handing Luke the mail, "Just remember, there's four kids and only two of you."

"Thanks for the advice, Kirk," he said sarcastically, sifting through the mail and making his way slowly back to the house.

Bills. Catalogues. You may've won a million dollars. Suddenly, two nearly-identical envelopes caught his eye.

"No. No way," he whispered. He ran his finger over the blue logo in the corner of one of the envelopes before breaking into a sprint and running inside, up the stairs to Lorelai.

He found her hunched over Hannah's crib, Josh already in his.

"Lorelai," he panted.

"Shh... I finally got her down," she turned on the mobile, grabbed her baby monitor, and motioned for Luke to join her in the hall. They slipped out of the serenely-colored room,

"What's going on?" Luke looked her intensely in the eyes,

"They came." Lorelai gave her husband a puzzled look,

"What came?"

"The letters."

"Honey, I'm gonna need a few more words to understand." Instead of answering, Luke thrust the two envelopes gently into her hands. He watched as her eyes opened in surprise and she ran her fingers over the emblem, much as he had done not a minute earlier. She mustered up the energy to ask,

"Both of them?"

"Both of them," Luke answered. She ripped open the top envelope,

"Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore-Danes," she read, "We are happy to inform you that we have a vacancy at Chilton Preparatory starting immediately. Due to your daughter's excellent credentials and your enthusiastic pursuit of her enrollment," Luke rolled his eyes; his wife had often joked about different, semi-unethical ways of ensuring Rory and Jess' acceptance, "We would be happy to accept her as soon as the first semester's tuition has been received." She smiled up at Luke, tears shining in her eyes as she ripped open the second envelope and read a near-identical letter, the only words changed being "daughter" to "nephew" and "her" to "his". Despite the lack of originality in the letters, Luke and Lorelai were thrilled. Both wiped tears from their eyes as they leaned in to kiss. They broke apart upon hearing Kirsten's excited voice echo through the house,

"Luke! Lorelai!" They ran downstairs to Kirsten, holding two envelopes identical to the ones that Luke and Lorelai had received while Sandy stood, beaming, behind her.

"The boys got in?" Lorelai asked excitedly. Kirsten nodded,

"Your kids, too?" Lorelai nodded back and both grabbed each other, shrieking, laughing, and crying, jumping up and down. Sandy and Luke shook hands, both smiling excitedly,

"We really do everything together, don't we?"

"Literally."

"Congratulations, man."

"Yeah. You, too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Ring. Ring. _No answer. _Ring. Riiing. _Still no answer. Lorelai sighed. She heard the click of the voicemail and her sister-in-law's voice,

"Hi, you've reached Liz Danes. I'm not here. You need to talk. Leave one after the beep and I'll see what I can do about that."

"Hey, Liz. It's Lorelai. Umm... Everyone here is fine. Jess is being a, uh, great big..." she paused and considered; they considered Jess the twins' brother rather than their cousin, and called him big brother in passing. However, when asked the relationship between Jess and the babies, they explained it as him being the big cousin, but Lorelai often told him in seriousness that he was an "excellent big brother". She finally decided to go with it and finished, "a great big brother to Hannah and Joshy. You should really come and see them... Look, Liz... we, um... we have some exciting news. Jess got into Chilton. Yeah, we're all really jazzed up about it here. Rory got in, too. Just thought you'd wanna know. Talk to you soon. Bye, Liz."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As they walked home from school, Seth babbled about Halloween, Ryan countered (he was _not_ dressing up as Pocahontas in front of his girlfriend), Jess yawned, and Rory was uncharacteristically quiet.

Once they turned onto Kelly Road, Ryan fell back from Seth and Jess, taking Rory's hand in his own.

"Hey," he said softly; he didn't want to sound accusatory; he remembered her blowup and mood swings from before school, "I barely got to see you today." She sighed,

"I know. But we'll spend all day together tomorrow."

"Working at the store. Being busy," he finished. She toyed with Ryan's hand,

"We'll spend tonight together, ok?" He nodded; truth be told, he was worried about her,

"Ok." He leaned it for a quick kiss, but was interrupted by Seth's echoing voice,

"Yo! Mickey! Minnie! Move it or lose it!" They both rolled their eyes and walked back to the Danes' house.

"Mom? Dad?" Rory called into the house as they walked in, "Your eldest are home!" She looked around and glanced at Jess, "No mom and dad. Maybe they're upstairs with Josh and Hannah?" Jess shrugged as they turned into the kitchen.

"Surprise!" Their parents yelled. Holding her chest over her pounding heart, Rory glared at the adults in shock,

"What was THAT?"

Lorelai brushed off the comment, shifted Joshua in her arms, and instructed the four teenagers to take seats at the kitchen table.

"Ok. On the count of three," said Kirsten, Hannah squirming in her arms, "One. Two. THREE!" Sandy and Luke each brought two gift bags from behind their backs and placed them in front of their children. All four teenagers glanced at each other before digging into their bags.

"We're gonna be in a Britney Spears video?" Seth asked, pulling out the plaid uniform. Rory snapped her fingers animatedly,

"Damn, Seth. On the tip of my tongue."

"Umm... is there something someone would like to tell me?" asked Jess, holding up the plaid skirt he had pulled from his gift bag. Everyone laughed as Luke hastily threw the skirt back in the bag, switching it with Rory's.

Seeing that none of the kids were getting it, Kirsten sighed,

"Plan B?"

"Plan B," Lorelai shifted Joshua in her arms, "Jess, could you change Joshy for me?" Jess eyed his aunt curiously,

"What do I get in exchange?"

"Well, I just may let you keep that pretty little skirt that you pulled out before." Jess rolled his eyes and took Josh from Lorelai,

"Your mother's crazy, you know that?" Lorelai turned to Rory,

"Ror, go change your sister for me?" Rory gave Lorelai the same look that Jess had previously, but agreed,

"C'mon, Ry. Help me change Hannah." He followed her obligingly, putting his hands on her hips as they walked up the stairs. Seth rolled his eyes,

"I might as well go help Jess. If it's a two-person job to change Hannah, it'll probably be a two-person job to change Josh." He scurried up the stairs into the nursery.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2..." An excited scream permeated the silence. Luke, Lorelai, Kirsten, and Sandy all turned to run upstairs.

"Show time," Sandy muttered, grinning. They entered the nursery to find four excited teenagers standing in the middle, two changed babies resting in their cribs, the teens clutching diapers.

"Mom? Dad?" Ryan asked quietly.

"You guys did it. All of you. You all got in," Sandy told them as tears welled up in Kirsten and Lorelai's eyes.

"All of us?" Rory repeated quietly as the adults nodded,

"Four kids got kicked out for a practical joke. Apparently, they don't look kindly on those at Chilton," Sandy explained, the implied subtext not lost on the laughing teenagers.

"We'll try and stop ourselves..." Rory said as she looked up at Ryan and smiled through tears of joy, "We got in..."

"We got in..." He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips as Luke glanced away,

"Ok, ok! Enough! Father in the room!" They pulled apart and Rory stepped forward to hug her parents. Everyone was quiet for a minute, embracing their family members, until Rory spoke up,

"Diapers? You had to put it on the next clean diapers in the pack?"

"We couldn't put it in the dirty ones... otherwise, how would we frame it?" Jess laughed,

"As long as you thought about it beforehand." Almost everybody was laughing, joking, and ecstatic.

But, unbeknownst to everyone else in the room, Seth's face had just turned a pale gray, his excited smile fading to a worried frown.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Cohen boys lagged behind as they and their parents walked home at five. Seth and Ryan were going home to get changed; they had made plans to go out to celebrate with Jess, Rory, and Ally (Jess had called her to tell her the news shortly after finding out, and her mother had given her permission to go out for a few hours), and were going to meet in a half hour. Distractedly, Seth kicked at the gravel as his brother talked about Halloween,

"So, I'm thinking that our first idea- you know, the fallback?- is probably our best bet. I mean, we already have the stuff for it in the house. So, is that ok with you?" Seth shrugged,

"Sure." Ryan glanced at his brother, his brow furrowed. Suddenly, he took Seth's arm in his hand and stopped walking,

"Ok, what the hell's the matter with you?" Seth kept his gaze glued on the floor,

"Nothing."

"Seth..."

"Ryan..." Seth echoed. Frustrated, Ryan shook his head,

"Don't tell me nothing's wrong."

"I'm not lying."

"I didn't say you were. I just know when something's bothering you."

"I'm fine, Ry. Really."

"You're not fine. Tell me."

"No."

"Spill."

"No."

"Spill or I'm telling Mom, and you know she won't leave you alone until you tell her." Seth sighed,

"You mean, like the incredible talent that you seemingly inherited from her?" Ryan nodded, and Seth knew that he wasn't going to leave him alone until he told. He took a sharp, deep intake of breath before mumbling, "IfIgotoChiltonI'llhavetoleaveLanebehindatStarsHollowHigh." Ryan stepped back,

"Woah! I'm sorry, I wasn't clear enough. Spill in English." Seth shook his head as he stared determinedly at his shoes,

"If I go to Chilton, then I'll have to leave Lane behind at Stars Hollow High." Ryan stared his brother down,

"Have you talked to her about this yet?"

"We just found out we're going to Chilton, Ryan. Were you not there?"

"Yeah, Seth, but we've known we were on the waiting list for... three months now? It never came up in conversation?"

"It did... but it was in passing. It was like 'Parents. Math Test. Chilton. The Daily Show.'"

"I really need to listen to your conversations more often."

"Ryan..."

"Seth, you're being crazy."

"Yeah, you can say that. Your girlfriend is going with you. Mine isn't."

"Jess' isn't either," Ryan pointed out.

"Yeah, but Jess and Ally are different. Ally has other friends other than us. Lane has you, me, Jess, Rory, and Ally. And a few other people that she talks to occasionally. I mean, who's she going to play paper football with in study? Whose lunch is she gonna pick from in lunch? I feel like we're abandoning her." Ryan paused and considered how to answer,

"I think... I think you need to talk to her. She knows about Chilton. She knows this is a big opportunity for all of us. And she knows we'll see her every day after school. That is, assuming she gets off of parole within the next two years."

"Yeah... who knew that running away from a future Korean doctor with two non-Korean boys to go see the birth of your best friends' twin siblings is punishable by house arrest?" Ryan shrugged,

"I knew."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai leaned back on the couch in the den, re-watching an old favorite,

"And you won't be angry?"

"I will NOT be angry."

"Abby someone."

"Abby someone... Abby who?"

"Abby Normal."

Hannah was nestled comfortably in her arms, once again resisting sleep. As usual, Joshua had passed out easily, and Luke had taken him upstairs to rest in his crib. She laughed audibly at the exchange on TV, but Hannah began to cry in response. She sighed and rocked gently with the baby. When Hannah had calmed, she called up to her husband, quoting the movie,

"Eye-gor!" He responded in kind,

"Yes, Froderick?"

"Your daughter is still wide awake. And I blame you!"

"This is my fault how?"

"I never had trouble falling asleep! This is all you, Mr. Up-at-four-thirty-asleep-at-twelve-perky-without-the-use-of-coffee Danes!" There was a small silence before he asked,

"I thought I was Eye-gor?" She laughed and sighed,

"Make sure Joshy has his mobile on!" She turned her attention back to the movie before hearing a light, rhythmic knock on the door.

She placed Hannah in the bouncy seat (which was turned off) and gave her daughter a pacifier as she turned to open the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." She threw it open and stepped back in surprise at who was on the other side, "Liz," she breathed, "I wasn't expecting you... Was I expecting you?" Liz shook her head,

"No... I just..." She paused and asked, "Can I come it?" Lorelai laughed self-incriminatingly,

"Of course! I'm sorry... I just... I was surprised, is all. I thought we weren't gonna see you again until Christmas. C'mon in. Jess will be thrilled to see you," Lorelai wasn't completely sure of the truth behind that statement, but she figured that she'd add it in for good measure.

Liz looked aroung the house at the pictures. There were photos everywhere.

Rory. Baby Rory. Rory with Luke. Rory with Lorelai. Rory dressed up for Halloween. Rory graduating from Junior High.

The twins. Sonograms. The day they were born. The day they came home.

And... Jess. Jess at his Junior High graduation, beaming at the camera, Rory waiting patiently in the background for her turn. Jess with Luke. Jess with Lorelai. Jess with his arm around Rory- there were quite a few of those.

And, finally, one last picture. A family portrait. Luke and Lorelai on Lorelai's hospital bed. Luke held Josh. Lorelai held Hannah. Rory and Jess sat on either side of them. She sighed; they looked like a real family.

Jess had a real family.

And she was just the pesky aunt who came to visit on holidays.

She turned her head at the sound of Luke bounding down the stairs,

"Lorelai, who was at the do..." He stopped short, "Lizzie!"

"Hey, big brother..."

"Hey..." Lorelai turned to Luke,

"Where's Josh?" Luke shook his head, seemingly waking himself from his reverie,

"Sound asleep in his crib. Any luck with Hannah?"

"None." They both sighed as their youngest daughter began to wail again; her pacifier had fallen out of her mouth.

"I'll get her," volunteered Luke. As he picked her up, he soothingly muttered, "Hey, baby girl... Shhh... go to sleep. You're so tired... So are mommy and daddy... and Rory and Jess for that matter..." Liz laughed,

"She won't sleep?" Lorelai shook her head, "I had the same problem with Jess when he was that age." As she smiled softly at them, Luke and Lorelai erupted in laughter,

"He doesn't have that problem anymore."

"He's a big sleeper?"

"We have to threaten him with diaper duty to get him up." Liz laughed, but it was followed by an awkward silence. Threatened by the quiet, Lorelai stuttered,

"Well, Liz... Jess is... he's out with his friends and his girlfriend."

"On a school night? Doesn't he have homework or something?" Lorelai shook her head,

"Our best friends are opening an ice cream store tomorrow and he and Rory are gonna miss school to go help. They're best friends with our friends' kids."

"Oh... Brian and Sam?"

"Ryan and Seth. Close. Jess has told you about them?"

"Once or twice..."

"I could call his cell phone or..."

"He has a cell phone?" Lorelai nodded,

"Both of the kids got them as Christmas presents. They pay half of their monthly bills with money they earn from helping at the diner and the inn. Luke said it teaches responsibility with money."

"Oh... sounds like Luke..."

"Do you want me to call him?"

"Oh, no... No, no... I actually just came here to give you this," She handed Lorelai a thick white envelope as Luke appeared behind his wife, Hannah propped up on his chest.

"What is this?" Liz stopped her from opening it,

"Please. Don't open it until I'm gone. I'll see you in a month and a half. Bye, Hannah." Liz turned and left without another word.

Confused, Luke and Lorelai glanced at each other, but respected Liz's wishes, returning to their business as usual.

Ten minutes later, Luke returned from the nursery to find Lorelai sitting cross-legged, staring at the plain white envelope sitting on the coffee table,

"Hannah's out. She's got a good few hours before she's up again." Lorelai nodded and wasted no time,

"Let's open it." Luke bore a hole into the blank white paper with his eyes and sat down next to Lorelai, placing a hand on her knee as she ripped it open. Silently, she ran her eyes over the words on the paper. When she finished, she gasped and passed the letter to Luke. He exhaled loudly,

"Oh, Liz..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lane sat at her desk, poring over a gutted copy of some book called _Religion and the Modern Korean_, which was filled instead by a borrowed copy of _The Nanny Diaries, _The Dandy Warhols playing through her headphones (which were only on one ear, so she had time to put it away should she hear her mother coming.

Unexpectedly, she heard a knock at the window. She jumped and turned to see Seth's nervously smiling face peering in. She sighed and help her hand over her heart, opening the window and helping her boyfriend in. He climbed through the window and leaned in for a soft kiss hello, which she returned before pushing him away,

"What on earth is _wrong_ with you! You almost gave me a heart attack! Those are not common in fifteen-year-olds!" He laughed awkwardly,

"I'm sorry..." She shook her head,

"It's ok... you know, you could've come in the front door? My mom's at her 'Crochet for Christ' meeting tonight. You know that." Seth shook his head,

"I needed to give Esther a little workout anyway. We're all getting bigger and harder to hold, and if Esther's gonna hold me, Rory, Jess, and Ryan at once, she needs practice." Lane laughed and leaned in to kiss him again. He kissed her back softly, but unenthusiastically.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she pulled away. Seth looked at her, squinting in fear of the situation at hand,

"Sit down, Lane."

"Sit down?"

"Please. I need to talk to you about something." She complied and sat at the foot of her bed as Seth paced nervously in front of her.

"Seth, what's the matter?" He took a deep intake of breath,

"Lane... you and I have been going out for a while now, right?" She nodded, "And we've known each other even longer," she nodded again, not quite sure where this was leading, "And the whole time we've known each other, we've been in school together. We always played together at recess and at study and you always took a piece of my bologna and some of Rory's cake and a few of Ryan's chips and a cookie of Jess' and..."

"Seth, I eat your lunches! I get it! Move on!"

"Right. Off topic. I get it...How would you feel if... we didn't go to Stars Hollow High anymore?"

"You and me?"

"No..."

"You and Ryan?" He nodded before reluctantly adding,

"And Rory and Jess..." Lane regarded him skeptically,

"Seth Cohen, what are you trying to tell me here?"

"All four of us got into Chilton and we start on Monday!" He blurted out, silently reprimanding himself for not handling the situation better. Lane stood up and moved slowly to her desk chair. After thirty seconds of silence, she smiled up at him,

"Congratulations."

"Congratulations?" He echoed, confused, scratching his head.

"Yeah, congratulations." He stared at her and she stared right back at him.

"Lane... We're not gonna be at school anymore. We're going somewhere else... You're not gonna have us anymore... You're ok with that?" She nodded,

"Yeah... I guess..."

"You are?"

"Yeah. I'm happy for you guys. You've worked hard and you deserve this. Mazel Tov, as you've told me a million times before." Seth sat down on the bed and pulled her onto his lap,

"You're ok with this?" She shook her head,

"To be honest, it scares me to death that I'm not gonna have you guys in school with me. But you should do this. It's a great opportunity... I am gonna miss you, though."

"I'll see you after school. And on weekends. And in the summer."

"I know..."

"You're the best. You know that, right."

"Yeah. I do." Seth laughed and leaned in to kiss her,

"I love you."

"Ditto." They leaned in for another kiss as they heard the closing of the front door downstairs. Seth and Lane jumped up,

"I'll call you later."

"You'd better." He kissed her once more and shimmied down the tree, back to his waiting friends and brother at the diner.

Still, Lane's eyes shone with fear.

And it didn't escape him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory slunk into the house early; she had told Ryan she was simply too tired to hand out and wanted to go home. Without making her presence known, she tiptoed through the kitchen, into her bedroom, and threw herself onto the bed; she closed her eyes and listened to the sounds of the house. She heard her father's voice and caught a few words that he was saying... excitedly? nervously?

"We... worried... money... Chilton." The conversation quickly caught Rory's attention.

"Two kids... Chilton... expensive," Her mother's voice echoed through her ears.

"Plus twins!... Money... Hannah and Josh... Chilton... Liz..." _Why are they talking about Aunt Liz?_ She shook it off and continued to listen to their conversation for another five minutes, left to her own deciphering devices.

_Money! Of course we're having money problems! The twins need everything at the same time. And me and Jess? Clothing and food and computers and cell phones... and now we both need money for private school? Mom runs an inn! And dad owns a diner! We don't have the money for this!_ She stewed with her thoughts for a moment before deciding what she needed to do.

She stood up and tiptoed out of her bedroom towards the back door, which she promptly opened and closed again, loudly and deliberately,

"Mom? Dad?"

"Rory?" Lorelai's voice boomed jovially back to Rory. _Must still be excited over Chilton, despite the money problems._

"Where are you?"

"Den!" She took her time ambling into the room. Luke and Lorelai were laughing as she walked in, but their faces fell when they saw their daughter.

"You're home so soon?" She nodded, plastering on a small smile,

"Tired... and I needed to talk to you about something." Luke and Lorelai shared a worried glance,

"Sure, sweets. Sit down." She did as she was told and inhaled deeply before beginning,

"Mom, Dad... I've given this a lot of thought- over the past few months... since the twins were born... past few hours... I don't know how to say this... I'm not gonna go to Chilton." Luke began to laugh; he didn't want to believe that she was saying this,

"Nice one, Ror." She shook her head,

"I'm not kidding, Daddy." He glanced from his wife to his eldest daughter, to the Chilton letters still lying on the coffee table,

"Rory, you'd better be kidding!" She couldn't bring herself to meet her parents' eyes,

"I'm not," they were silent for a minute before Rory added, "I can't..." _And please leave it at that..._

"Why?" Lorelai asked gently. If Rory had a valid reason (though there were none that she, personally, could think of at the moment), then maybe they could talk her through it.

Rory prepared to speak up, but Luke stopped her, fuming, before she could lie (she knew her parents would come up with an excuse or a lie to allay her fears over money),

"No, Lorelai! No why! We should not even be having this discussion right now!"

"Luke..."

"No! She's going to Chilton! And that's final!"

"Mom..." Rory pleaded.

"Don't turn to your mother to help you. She'll support me a hundred percent on this!" He looked to Lorelai, who glared angrily at him- a look that said _I agree with you. I just don't agree with the way you're handling it._ He understood the look and motioned to Rory.

"Rory, sweets, I'm backing Dad up on this one."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"I'm sorry. I backed you up when you wanted Chinese last week and Dad wanted pizza." _Perhaps a joke to lighten the mood?... No? Ok..._ Rory braced herself to yell back,

"I can't believe you two! You always tell me I'm old enough to make my own decisions! Well, I'm deciding! I'm not going to Chilton!"

"There are some things that you can't decide."

"_What? _Dad! As much as this bothers you, I'm not your little girl anymore! I'm not gonna say, 'Yes, daddy, whatever you say' just because you want me to! I'm almost an adult! I can make my own decisions!"

"Rory..." Lorelai started softly, but Luke cut her off again,

"Rory, I am not letting you do this! You will not throw your life away! I won't let you make that mistake!"

"It's my life, it's my mistake to make!" With tears in her eyes, she turned on her heel and strode to her bedroom.

"Rory, get back here! We are not done discussing this!" Rory glanced back at her parents, tears threatening to spill over, before entering her room and slamming the door.

Upstairs, Hannah and Josh began to cry.

"Are you happy, Luke?... I wouldn't be surprised if Jess was crying right now, too. Make sure all four are."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke sighed. Lorelai was downstairs, warming a bottle for Hannah, who was, an hour after the fight with Rory, still wide awake. He rocked slowly with his youngest daughter as he thought about his eldest.

The first time he met her. _She was so tiny. _

The first time she called him "Daddy". _She was half-asleep._

The wedding. _She loved that little dress. _

When she first started dating Ryan. _I was **this** close to locking her in her room._

She really was growing up fast- and occasionally, he couldn't deal with it. He kissed Hannah on the forehead as Lorelai reentered the room, carrying a warm bottle. As she took the baby from her husband, Luke sighed,

"I'm gonna go try and talk to her." She nodded,

"Good. I'm the best friend, but you're the daddy. See if you can talk some sense into her... without fighting with her, please."

He walked purposefully down the stairs and into the kitchen, pulling out a box of Rory's favorite cookies and a glass of milk.

"Ror?" he said as he rapped lightly on the door, but got no answer, "Rory? Princess... I want to talk to you..." Still no answer, "Ok... you can listen, I'll talk. I brought you cookies," still no answer, "Rory, I'm coming in no matter what, so if you're indecent, let me know." When he got no response, he gently pushed open the door, flipping on the lights. Though he saw Rory's form under the blanket, he knew that, at seven at night, there was no way that she was asleep. He sat down at the head of the bed, next to Rory's ear,

"Sweetheart, listen to me. I'm not making you go to Chilton because I want to ruin your life. But there is no excuse that you can give me that will make me let you not go. This is a great opportunity for you and Jess. It'll help with Harvard. Mom and I just want what's best for you- you know that. We love you so much... you're our first baby... Plus, you cry a lot less than Josh and Hannah. And you're a lot easier to get up than Jess...We love you so much, Princess..." He leaned in to move the blanket off of her head to kiss her through her hair, but was met with a silky pink substance instead.

Confused, he pulled the blanket off the bed.

Rory wasn't there.

Pillows were arranged to look like her.

Almost out of instinct, Luke looked up at the window.

It was wide open.

And Rory could easily fit out of it.

"Shit," he mumbled, before getting up and calling up to Lorelai, "She's gone!"

"What?"

"She's gone! Rory! She's not in her room, there's pillows to make it look like she was, and her window is completely open! Rory's not here!" Lorelai quickly ran down the stairs, Hannah resting in her arms,

"Who are you calling?" He fumbled with the phone in his hands,

"Her cell." They waited impatiently, hoping to get an answer. However, they soon heard Rory's ring ("Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", due to Rory and Lorelai's Monty Python obsession) coming from her bedroom.

"Shit," he muttered again.

"No answer?" He shook his head, "Call Sandy and Kirsten," she said, her voice in slight panic.

"I am," he swallowed deeply as he tried to remember the usually-familiar number. The phone rang twice before Sandy's relaxed voice answered,

"Hello?"

"Sandy, is Rory there?"

"What? No... None of the kids are here... Why?"

"I'll let you know later. I'm trying to find her and she didn't take her cell."

"Oh, ok... Let us know if you need us for anything."

"I will. Bye." Lorelai shook her head,

"She's not there?"

"No." She swiftly moved to pull out Ryan's cell phone number from the junk drawer,

"Call Ryan. Maybe she's with the kids." He nodded and dialed the phone number, his fingers trembling. Ryan picked up almost immediately,

"Hello, my dearest?" he said sarcastically. Luke pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at it skeptically before saying,

"Ryan, hey, it's Luke."

"Oh... hey, Luke... I thought you'd be Rory. Sorry." Luke shook his head,

"No, it's fine. Listen, is Rory there with you?"

"No... she went home a little while ago... Did she not get there?"

"No, she did. But then... words were exchanged and we think she might've run away..."

"That doesn't sound like Rory..."

"Neither did the fight we had tonight."

"We'll go look for her."

"Call your parents. Get them to help. I'll meet you out front in ten minutes, ok?"

"Sure." He hung up,

"We have a search party. You want to stay here with the twins or should I?"

"I want to go look for her. Hannah's almost out anyway." Luke looked at his youngest child, who was gurgling happily in her mother's arms; she was in no way near sleep, but Luke knew Lorelai was frantic and would never not look for her missing best friend.

"Ok... take your cell," he said, taking Hannah from Lorelai. She paused as she pulled on her coat,

"What's your plans for when we find her?"

"Hug her, tell her I'm sorry, and then kill her," he said without hesitation.

"As long as you have a plan..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lane lay silently on her bed, her music blasting through her ears again, though she was engrossed in her thoughts,

_The only way I'm gonna know how I'm really gonna feel is once they all go to school without me on Monday. I guess we'll find out on monday. But until then... I'm happy for them... I swear, I'm happy for them... _

She sat up straight at the loud knock coming from her bedroom window.

"Seth!" She breathed, scrambling to open the window, "What's going on?" She noticed his panicked look.

"Rory's gone... she ran away and we're all trying to find her."

"What! Why!"

"She had a fight with her dad and she left..." She knew her mother was home, and she knew she'd be in giant trouble for leaving, but she didn't care.

"Gimme a sec," she grabbed her coat and a pen and paper, scribbling a note,

_Mama- _

I know I'm grounded, but Rory needs me to help her. She's having a big problem...

I think, maybe, Christianity can help guide her in her quest, and I need to show her the true way to be.

Be back soon,

Lane

Seth peered over her shoulder and sniggered as she pinned the paper to her door frame,

"Christianity will do _what_?"

"It's more effective to lie sometimes, Seth. Learn it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Rory!"

"Rory Danes!"

"Droopy Drawers!" Everyone looked at Lorelai, perplexed, "What? I called her that once when she was three. Ask Luke. He was there." Sandy shook his head,

"I don't doubt it." Lorelai, Sandy, and Kirsten walked towards the gazebo together. They and the kids had split up to look for Rory; they were taking the outside, while the kids chose to quiz the people in the stores.

The kids chased after Taylor in Doose's, trying desperately to get his attention. They had already been to the diner to check that Rory hadn't hidden out there (or gone to get a burger), to the makeup store to ensure that she wasn't stocking up for the first day of Chilton, and the book store to make sure that she hadn't immersed herself in books to forget her problems. Every response was the same,

"No, I haven't seen Rory, but I'll let you know if I see her."... except for Kirk.

Kirk, for some reason, reacted with a scream and a,

"See! It's happening already! She's gonna take those two little boys and her cousin and Luke and Lorelai will be in danger! DANGER!" to which the Cohens, Lane, Ally, and Jess only responded with a nod and a slow back-away.

At this point, they only wanted Taylor to stop moving.

"Taylor," Ryan called across the market.

"Ahh, yes. The Cohen boys. Making trouble, I assume?"

"Always," Seth panted.

"Taylor, we don't have time for you to indict Seth and Ryan right now. Have you seen my cousin?" Jess asked exasperatedly as Ally pulled on his arm,

"Things are never boring when we all hang out together," she muttered under her breath, panting from running.

"I'm sorry, Jess. Who, exactly, is your cousin?" Jess glared at Taylor incredulously,

"You have to be kidding. You know my cousin. You know all three of my cousins. You've known Rory since she was one! You see my uncle- her father- every day! You see my aunt- her mother- in the diner, in the market, walking through town... hell, she's right outside right now!"

"There's no need to curse, young man."

"Taylor," Lane pleaded, "Just let us know. Have you seen Rory or haven't you?" Taylor regarded her; she was, in fact, deeply religious (or at least her mother was), and he held her in high regard,

"Within what time-frame, Miss Kim?"

"The past hour or so, Taylor." He paused and thought for a second,

"Yes. I have."

"You have?"

"Where?" Ryan asked frantically.

"Why?" Taylor asked curiously, "Are you off to do more inappropriate things for children your age?"

"What? Taylor, just tell us where you saw Rory!"

"Because kissing in public is quite inappropriate for young teenagers."

"Taylor..."

"It leads to other things, and soon we'll have little Cohens running around, making a mockery of this town..."

"TAYLOR! WHERE IS SHE!" Taylor looked taken aback,

"I saw her about an hour ago, taking a cab in front of her father's diner."

"_Thank_ you!" All five said exasperatedly, turning away and running towards the adults,

"We have a spotting!" Lorelai turned around quickly at the sound of Lane's voice,

"Where? When?"

"And hour ago. In front of the diner. She was taking a cab."

"A cab?" She repeated, perplexed. At the same time, her cell phone began to ring with Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville", "It's Luke," she picked up, "Hello?... Oh, thank G-d. Where is she?... You're kidding, right?... Ok, I'll be right home," She flipped the phone closed, "You'll never guess where she went."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke and Lorelai held Hannah and Josh close to them as they knocked on the door to the spacious mansion, Jess standing behind them. It hadn't occurred to them, in their frenzied state, to leave any of their children at home. Besides, they were uneasy leaving them home considering the fact that one had already run away.

"We're Luke and Lorelai Danes. We're here to pick up our daughter, Rory," Lorelai announced to the maid as she opened the door.

"Of course," the woman nodded as Emily appeared around the corner,

"Lorelai. Luke." Lorelai shook her head,

"You haven't acknowledged the kids coldly yet, mom." Emily rolled her eyes,

"Hannah. Joshua." They knew she was still angry with them for not telling her about the fact that Hannah and Josh were going to be twins, so Lorelai added in another comment,

"You've said hello to three of my children today. Care to acknowledge the fourth's?" Emily shook her head, muttering something about Lorelai's unintelligible fondness for that hoodlum, and told her daughter,

"Rory's angry with you. Especially you, Luke," She grinned a sinister smirk.

"And you seem to be getting a lot of pleasure out of that, mother."

"No. I just find it interesting, is all."

"Mom, where's dad?"

"He's on a business trip, Lorelai."

"Ok. Let's cut the small talk. Where's my daughter?"

"In your husband's arms, Lorelai."

"Don't toy with me, mother. Where's my kid?"

"She's in the house, Lorelai. Shouldn't you use your power to locate her?"

"Mom, I have to get Josh and Hannah home, I want to talk to Rory, and Jess is getting really uncomfortable right now. I can tell. He keeps scratching his nose," Jess regarded his aunt strangely, though he knew it was true, "It's mischief night, and G-d help me, if you don't lead me to Rory, your house will be egged and t-ped to no end."

"Very mature, Lorelai," she sighed, "Follow me." Emily lead the family up to Lorelai's old bedroom, knocking slightly, "Rory, dear? There are people here to see you..." she turned to Luke and Lorelai, "I'll leave you six alone to talk." She stalked away, glancing back only once to see their reactions. Luke and Lorelai glanced at each other before opening the door slowly,

"Ror?"

"Sweets, you're in here?" They walked in slowly to find Rory sitting cross-legged on the bed. She looked up at them briefly before abruptly looking back down as tears spilled silently over her eyelids,

"I'm sorry." Luke and Lorelai rushed towards her and threw their free arms around her.

"It's ok, baby. We know you are."

"What in the world made you do that?" She choked back tears as her cousin came and joined his family,

"Ryan's ready to kill you. Thought he'd lost his 'one true love'."

"He didn't say that."

"I'm paraphrasing." She shook her head and coughed out,

"Money."

"What?"

"Money, mom. We don't have the money to send me to Chilton. So I thought I'd save you the trouble and not go. But then daddy got all mad and I've never really had to deal with him mad at me without being concerned before... that was always Jess' thing, getting into trouble."

"Gee, thanks."

"No... I didn't mean it like that..."

"I'm kidding. Go on."

"I was just... I didn't know how to deal with this situation, so I decided it was a better idea to just leave it. And I couldn't tell you why I was worried, so there was no way I could remedy it." Lorelai sighed,

"Honey, you need to look at the letter that Aunt Liz left." Jess handed over the letter that he had put in his jeans pocket after reading them. Rory opened them slowly and methodically, poring over every word,

_Dear Luke, Lorelai, Rory, Jess, Hannah, and Joshua (My gosh, that list has gotten long), _

I'm about to do something that I should've done a long time ago.

Enclosed is money for Jess' tuition to Chilton. I know it's not a grand gesture like, say, raising him, but I'm trying...

Jess- I know I haven't been around much, but I knew that in order to give you the life that you deserve, it had to be with Luke and Lorelai. I love you, and I'm doing this as at least one of my few motherly gestures I've done for you in your life. Don't use it against Luke and Lorelai, please (Though I know that they've done right by you and you probably know better than that). I love you. Be good.

Rory- Good luck in Chilton. Help Jess stay out of trouble. Be good for your parents- your mom and dad deserve a great kid like you. Make sure you stay that way.

Luke and Lorelai- Don't do what I know you're going to do. I have this money. Turns out, without a kid, the term 'expendable income' actually means something. I have enough with the new Renaissance Faire booth that I'm doing with this guy, TJ. He seems sweet. Don't worry about me. Thanks for everything. I love you guys. And I love what you've done for Jess.

I'll see you all soon.

Love,

Lizzie Danes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

That night, Luke and Lorelai put the twins to bed, sent Jess off to his room, and went in to tuck in Rory, much as they had when she was a little girl.

"Goodnight, princess. I love you."

"I love you, too, daddy."

"And if you ever scare me like that again?"

"The light of day will be blinding when I finally get off of house arrest. I know."

"Good girl." He kissed her head and made sure to close and lock her window before walking out of the room.

"Mom?" Rory asked.

"Yeah, sweets?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Woah. Really bad de-ja-vu."

"I'm sorry... I just... Mom, when I went to Grandma tonight, I went because I knew you'd look for me with Ryan or at Sandy and Kirsten's or at the diner and I really just needed somewhere that you wouldn't think of. But grandma... Grandma was really nice, mom. And I want... I want to get to know her."

"You want to what?"

"I want to get to know her... I feel like, if she, y'know, passed on and I never got to know her, I'd be really miserable." Lorelai sat down next to Rory,

"Oh... ok... What do you want to do about that?"

"I want to have dinners," Rory said definitely, "Maybe twice a month. We get together and have dinner tonight. Maybe on Thursday or Friday nights." Lorelai sighed,

"If that's really what you want, then I'm ok with it."

"It's really what I want."

"Ok... we'll talk more about this tomorrow. Good night, baby."

"Good night, mommy."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory stood behind the counter, dressed in a pink t-shirt reading "Gas, Grass, or Ass- No one rides for free." and a pair of ripped jeans. Jess stood next to her, wearing a flannel t-shirt over a white t-shirt, and a pair of jeans, tending to Joshua, who was sitting in a carseat, wearing an identical outfit. Rory picked up Hannah, who was wearing the same outfit that she was (only smaller), and danced with her around Sandy and Kirsten's store,

"See, I told you that 'attack of the clones' was a good theme for Halloween."

"Yeah, but did it have to be clones of our parents?"

"I pick. I made the costumes." Jess shook his head,

"Fine." Ryan and Seth entered from the back, carrying containers of hard ice cream, arguing (in character) about the gazebo,

"I don't know, Kirk. I don't think it's appropriate to set up an homage to Rocky because of the dance festival in the gazebo," Ryan said, wearing a pillow under a dress shirt and khakis, a gray beard and mustache painted on his face with eyeliner.

"C'mon, Taylor. It'll only be for two months time," Seth answered, and Rory and Jess couldn't help but laugh; Seth looked ridiculous (and a lot like Kirk) in a doctor's uniform, with a mailman's hat on his head, a teacher's pencil behind his ear, and an Olympic Diver's medal around his neck, an obvious jab at Kirk's many jobs around town.

Rory laughed and muttered,

"We have problems." Ryan nodded and kissed her gently,

"Yes, we do... but at least we all have them together." Jess laughed,

"That's because no one else could deal with them."

"We're a special group of kids."


	19. Beginnings

_A/N 1- I looooooooooove reviews! Even at two-thirty in the morning, when I'm reading reviews I've already read before, they make me happy. So please keep reviewing._

_A/N 2- Questions! I have no idea what happened to Sookie. I was actually thinking about that the other day, before you reviewed, and I realized that I just don't follow Lorelai to work and I've had nowhere to put her so far... I'll try and put her in sometime soon... Ummm I wanted to install Friday night dinners of some sort- they're not exactly the same, but they're similar. And I'm glad u liked a little bit of dissention in the ranks. It's all good :) And I actually really do like the idea of Jess' adoption, so I'm gonna see if maybe I can work with that in the future. Thank you so much!_

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew that the movie last chapter was _Young Frankenstein._ That means snowboardbaby526, Nina, Ally, carpanthers21, Bee, Ally, Kate, Chelsea, musicsdream, MsVonnegut, harmmac82, java crazy, and nadeshiko black... loooong list..._

_New challenge: Who knows what movie Seth's watching in his first scene this chapter! Same rules as always. You guess right, next chapter is dedicated to you... Go on..._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my pretty pink iPod and its pretty pink case..._

Beginnings

"Don't move, please."

"So, why are you insisting on doing this?"

"Well, because you're starting private school tomorrow."

"Yes, but I'm going to be wearing shoes. Nobody's gonna see my feet."

"Okay, but everybody knows that private school girls are bad, and bad girls always wear red nail polish." Rory sighed,

"So, what are you gonna do to Jess when you get a hand on him?"

"Because he's a bad private school boy now?" Rory grunted an agreement and squirted whipped cream into her mouth, prompting an accepting nod from her mother, "Well, he's gonna have his tongue pierced, of course."

"And I have the job of cutting all of the sleeves off of his uniforms?"

"Of course," Rory shrugged and pressed the top of the whipped cream can again, coaxing more into her mouth, "Have I told you how proud I am of you for escaping the stupid health kick your father seems to be on at all times?"

"Once or twice," she answered, leaning against the swing. As they settled into a comfortable silence, Jess poked his head around the corner,

"Lorelai, do you know where my copy of _The Odyssey _is?"

"Greece?" She guessed.

"Not funny." As he began to slip back into the house, Lorelai called after him,

"Jess, honey, c'mere."

"What? Did you find it?"

"No, but the eight-track in your mind has lost seven of its tracks... Come. I want you to sit with us." Jess raised a skeptical eyebrow,

"Can't. Sorry."

"Why not?"

"Getting ready."

"Jess, c'mon. You've been getting ready all weekend. No one is more ready than you... Spongebob called. He wants some tips."

"If I was ready, I'd have my copy of _The Odyssey_."

"Jess, come sit down. Clear your mind. Then you'll be able to figure it out."

"Nope. Sorry. No can do. Good luck with the whole relaxation thing, though. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors."

"Wow, he's getting really good at public speaking," Rory commented, "Good thing to keep in mind next time a prank goes bad."

"Jess, I'm the mom. And I say sit. So, sit." He hung his head and obeyed. She sighed as he sat next to her and she pulled him close, "Thank you. I miss this." Both of her children looked up curiously at her,

"Miss what?"

"This. Spending time with you two. I feel like, with boyfriends and girlfriends and work and school and the twins now, we never get any time together anymore. Sometimes I feel like I don't know what's going on in your lives outside of the house." Rory shrugged,

"We're starting Chilton tomorrow." Lorelai feigned surprise,

"No joke?" Jess shook his head and turned his head to face Rory, allowing Lorelai to lean him against her,

"Ror, you heard about the new movie night?"

"Yeah. The 'First Annual Star's Hollow Movie for Madness Night'."

"I'm confused, though," Jess said, "Why are we having a movie night to cure insanity?"

"We aren't. It's for road rage."

"Because we all know when Andrew and Mr. Twickham get out there, it gets really dangerous," Lorelai said.

"Why couldn't they said the 'Road Rage Movie Night'?"

"Loses its alliteration."

"That's pathetic."

"Taylor's showing _Grease_, right?" Jess shook his head,

"_Shoah_."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Rory, there's so much in this world I could joke about. What makes you think I choose to joke about the alliteration-induced craziness of Stars Hollow?"

"Sad, but true."

"So," Lorelai started slowly, "Are you guys excited for tomorrow?" Rory shrugged,

"A little nervous. A little excited. A little confused."

"Confused?"

"Have you looked at the map of that place?"

"Yeah," Jess agreed, "It's huge. It should be fun looking for a bathroom tomorrow."

"Hold it in," Rory suggested.

"It's good to know we raised you two right," Luke said, walking up the front steps; he had gone to the diner to check on things and make sure they were going to be in working order the next morning, as he (along with Lorelai, Sandy, and Kirsten) was going to drop the kids off at Chilton the next morning. Rory slid over to make room for him on the swing and he sat next to her after kissing Lorelai hello. After kissing Rory on the temple, he asked,

"What's Jess stressed about?" Jess glanced at him in shock,

"How did you...?" Luke shrugged,

"I know you pretty well, kid." Lorelai laughed and rested the baby monitor on her lap,

"Jess can't find his _Odyssey_."

"The book or his journey in life?" Jess rolled his eyes,

"This whole family is a laugh riot tonight." Luke shrugged off the comment and told Jess,

"It's at the diner. You left it there when you were studying during your break on Saturday." Rory laughed,

"You're such a nerd. Studying between shifts." Jess stood up quickly, shouting,

"I'll be back in a few!" as he ran away. He then added, "You've studied during breaks, too, Rory!"

Rory sighed,

"Sadly, he's right."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan, bored with his copy of _The Davinci Code_ and Beatles CD, meandered into the den, where he found his brother leaning against the couch, bouncing a ball against the wall, thoroughly engrossed in a movie.

"_The sword of Damocles is hanging over my head. _

And I've got the feeling someone's gonna be cutting the thread.

Oh, woe is me. My life is a mystery..." Ryan sighed,

"Really, Seth? Again?" Seth shrugged, never peeling his eyes from the screen,

"I can't help it. I'm hooked. And it's my way of winding down before school tomorrow."

"You're pathetic."

"And you're my brother. Which makes you as pathetic as I am. We were raised by the same parents."

"Nature versus nurture, bro. Look at Hannah and Josh. Twins who are completely different from each other, even at three weeks old. Nature." Neither boy really knew what they believed, but they found it useful in discussions. Sandy and Kirsten entered the room, having just closed Kandy's for the night.

"Don't get into this argument again," Kirsten warned, remembering an incident where the boys had decided to do an experiment regarding Nature versus Nurture. It wound up with Seth in the hospital for a broken wrist and Ryan with a scratched cornea. And yet, both boys were in good spirits the entire time.

"Oh, look, honey. It's good that they're watching this. If it rains tomorrow, at least they'll know what to do."

"Hey, the newspaper on the head works best if someone's squirting with a water gun from behind you. It's too messy in the rain," Seth answered, still resisting the vague urge to pull his eyes from the movie. Sandy and Kirsten settled onto the couch and Ryan plopped himself next to his brother.

"Your mother sang this song to me when we first got married," Sandy commented on the now-playing "I Can Make You A Man." Seth made a gagging noise, but kept his gaze transfixed on the television. Ryan glanced at his parents in disgust,

"Ew, dad! Overshare!" Sandy decided to push his luck,

"She told me I was a 'man with blonde hair and a tan...'" Ryan's eyes widened in shock, and even Seth pulled himself away from the screen,

"Dad..." he said preemptively.

"Dad, please. I beg you not to finish that line," Ryan pleaded.

"And that I was 'good for relieving her...'" Kirsten cut her husband off, noting that Seth had gone pale and Ryan had his fingers pushed firmly into his ears,

"Sandy, leave them alone." Sandy laughed maniacally,

"Boys, shouldn't you be going to sleep soon? You're starting a new school tomorrow."

"So are Rory and Jess," Seth started.

"And we can guarantee you that they're not asleep," Ryan continued.

"It's only 9:17, dad," Seth returned his gaze to the television.

"We had a later bedtime than this when we were nine," Ryan finished.

"I'll let you stay up all night if you don't finish each other's paragraphs anymore," Sandy commented.

"We've gotten good at it."

"It's not that we're not impressed, honey. It's just that it's a little bit eerie," Kirsten said, holding her fingers a centimeter apart to emphasize the point.

"And creepy," Sandy added.

"Not nearly as creepy as you two talking about how mom can... You know what? For Seth and my sake, I'm not gonna go near the end of that sentence with a ten-foot pole." Sandy laughed,

"Hey, that's how mom and I feel about your rooms sometimes!"

"Hey! My room's clean," Ryan said defensively. Seth sniggered,

"Mine's not."

"True. I don't understand how someone who's so meticulous at cleaning when he works at the store can be such a slob in his own bedroom." Seth shrugged,

"Nobody's buying food out of my bedroom." Kirsten sighed,

"Boys, dad and I wanted to thank you both for being such big helps with everything. We know we're not home as much and you don't need to be so helpful- working at the store and doing extra chores at home- but you've been great."

"Great enough to get a car when we turn seventeen?"

"Down, boy. You're not even sixteen yet," Sandy commented as the ball Seth was playing with bounced off to the side, "Careful with that thing, Seth." Seth retrieved it and Kirsten continued,

"Great enough to, I don't know... we'll see when the time comes. But you've both been great."

"Rory said I had to or she'd break up with me," Ryan joked.

"Extra prizes are not looking like such a good idea now."

"Kidding, mom. Kidding," she glared at him, grinning slightly. He added for good measure, "I love you, mommy." She started to laugh and blew her son a kiss.

He was about to blow one back (sarcastically, of course. He was a Cohen, after all.), when Seth's rubber ball came flying past his head. He quickly ducked and moved to the side to avoid it,

"It's just a jump to the left."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

On Monday morning, Lane awoke with a start, trying to remember a dream that she'd had during the night.

_The boys were all there. And Rory. _She thought, straining to remember. _And we were playing... Scrabble? Monopoly?... Twister?... Some stupid board game. And then Ryan got up, told me he had to go back to California because his... puppy was sick? That was weird. Then Jess got up, said he had to go back to New York. That much I remember for sure. He said his favorite bus stop had fallen on hard times and needed him to get through. Then Rory got up, told me she had to move back to Hartford, because her grandparents bought a new pool. That wasn't even a good imaginary reason! And then Seth said he had to go to... Oregon? He said the trail needed sweeping. And I told him not to go, that the real Oregon trail doesn't need him to sweep and that I'd buy him the computer game if he really wanted. But he left anyway, and I was all alone. And I just sat there._

She rubbed sleepily at her eyes, trying to push the dream away from her,

"It's only a dream. And they're only going to Chilton. They'll be back by four o'clock. And they'll be home on weekends. And in the summer. It'll be fine," she soothed herself, pulling on a "Trust Jesus" sweatshirt over her Nirvana t-shirt.

She sighed as she brushed her hair into a slick ponytail and put on her glasses, staring into the mirror. She wiped at the corners of her eyes and looked down, where she saw the single piece of decoration that she was allowed in her room.

It was a magazine article entitled "Religion and the Modern Teen" on the face, but behind it was her single favorite picture of all time (except for the one of her and Seth asleep on the couch at Rory's house, her head resting on his lap, but that one was too dangerous to leave out, in the case of a Mrs. Kim invasion). She pulled it out and looked at it, misty-eyed.

It was a picture of her, Seth, Ryan, and Rory on the first day of third grade, before Jess came to live in Stars Hollow, and they stood out front of Rory's house. Lane remembered that day well; Kirsten and Lorelai had made them stand outside for a half-hour, posing with each other in different positions, with different people, for different cameras.

This particular picture was one that Lorelai later told them she and Kirsten had been planning since the Cohens had moved in. It was a picture of Seth and Lane hugging each other tightly, their gap-toothed smiles beaming, and Ryan and Rory doing the same right next to them.

She smiled and wiped away a single tear before tucking the picture into her bookbag and setting off to school for the first time since she was four.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Cohen and Danes families pulled up in front of Chilton and stared on in awe as they stepped out of the cars, all four kids in matching uniforms, and the adults dressed nicely (Lorelai's fuzzy blue alarm clock that she had bought hadn't gone off, but she had Luke and the twins to wake her up, so she was awake in time to get everything done).

"I remember it being smaller," Rory commented

"Yeah. And less. . ." Lorelai continued. Seth projected,

"Off with their heads."

"Yeah," Luke breathed as Sandy craned his neck towards the top of the building.

"What are you looking at?" asked Kirsten.

"I'm just trying to see if there's a hunchback up in that bell tower." Kirsten nodded, understanding, as Rory turned to Kirsten and Lorelai.

"So, how do we look?"

"Well, at least when Ryan and Seth finish each other's sentences, it'll make more sense," Sandy answered.

"You look great," Kirsten ignored her husband.

"Really. You are amazing kids. You have earned this. You just go in there and show them what smart really is," Lorelai encouraged, but then turned to her husband, "I actually have to go to the bathroom." Luke shook his head,

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Take the twins' stroller," she said, motioning to the carriage she had in front of her. He nodded,

"I would've figured it out whether you said it or not."

"What about the time when Rory was four and I was holding her hand at the mall, you were right next to us, and I let go to go find something and she wandered away because I didn't tell you to grab her."

"Hey, that was during her hide-and-seek phase. You can't blame me for that," Luke became defensive, instinctively grabbing for Rory's hand.

"Dad!"

"Oh. Sorry, honey. Habit." Lorelai shook her head,

"I'll meet you guys in the office."

She wandered away and fifteen minutes later was finished and looking for the headmaster's office.

"Lost?" A man's voice asked from behind her. She spun around,

"Oh, yeah. Uh, I'm looking for the headmaster's office, the Ambroise building."

"Ah, okay. Well, this is it right here. You just go inside, down the stairs, make a left, and the headmaster's office is at the end of the hall."

"Great. Thank you."

"Mom!" Rory's voice called from a few feet behind.

"You're welcome... Um, I'm Ian Jack. My daughter Julia goes to school here."

"Hi. I'm Lorelai Danes. Um, this is my daughter, Rory," she motioned to Rory, who was now directly behind her.

"Your daughter? Really?"

"Yup."

"Wow, that's great. Uh, I mean, daughters are a great thing."

"We're big fans."

"Speaking of daughters," Rory interrupted, "Hannah needs her pacifier, we have no idea where it is, and I've been appointed to come and find you."

"Hannah?" Ian said skeptically.

"My other daughter."

"Oh. Not too old considering she needs a pacifier, I assume?"

"Two and a half weeks," Lorelai answered. The man whistled and looked downward, seemingly disappointed,

"So, I assume that two kids means you have a husband?"

"Well, it would. Except that I have four kids." The man whistled again,

"Ok, well... I'll tell Julia to keep an eye out for Rory."

"And Jess."

"Who?"

"My kid. He starts today also."

"Oh. Well, I'll let Julia know. Nice meeting you, Lorelai. Good luck, Rory."

"Thanks."

Rory led her mother back through the doors and towards the Headmaster's office.

"Oh, good. More big stuff," Lorelai commented.

"Turn left." They arrived at the office, where they found their friends and family. Lorelai promptly put a pacifier in Hannah's mouth and the group all turned to face the double doors to the office.

"You ready?" Lorelai asked nervously.

"No," said Seth and Rory as Ryan and Jess answered, "Yes." There was a pause before Lorelai repeated,

"You ready?"

"Yes," responded Rory and Seth as Jess and Ryan changed their minds, "No."

Sandy watched them skeptically,

"You've spent every day of the past nine years together. You choose _now_ to differentiate?"

All four teenagers glanced at each other, communicating with their eyes.

_Now or never._ thought Rory.

_No time like the present. _mused Jess silently.

_Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today. _Ryan pondered

_An apple a day keeps the... headmaster... Let's just go in. _Seth thought in frustration.

"Ready," They all said, one after the other. Lorelai pushed the door open and the group stepped in.

"Hi," Lorelai said sweetly to the bitter-looking receptionist, pushing Josh and Hannah's stroller, "We're new. First day. These are my kids- Jess Mariano and Lorelai Gilmore-Danes... And I'm Lorelai Gilmore-Danes also, 'cause I named her after me. I was in the hospital all whacked out on Demerol. Never mind. Um, but we call her Rory. It's short for Lorelai, but she'll answer to either one, or even 'Hey, you' depending on the..." Sandy interrupted her, preventing her ramblings from causing any further damage,

"And this is Seth and Ryan Cohen. They're starting today also." The woman stood up and coldly regarded them,

"One moment." They all glanced at each other as the woman walked away and Lorelai leaned over to Rory,

"See? Kirsten and I weren't lying to you and Lane. That's what happens when you go to sleep with your makeup on."

"Headmaster Charleston will see you now," the woman told them monotonously.

"Ms. Gilmore-Danes, Mr. Mariano, both Mr. Cohens, I'm Headmaster Charleston."

"Hi. Wow, it's really nice to meet..." Lorelai, the unspoken leader of the day, started, glancing around the room. She stopped short as she caught sight of an older woman seated in a chair, "Mom. Um, excuse me. What are you doing here?" Luke's eyes widened.

"I came to wish my granddaughter luck on her first day of school."

"But -"

"Rory, you look wonderful in that uniform!"

"Three more kids in the room. She doesn't even acknowledge their presence," Lorelai muttered as Luke rubbed her back.

"Well, this gave me a chance to make sure that Hanlin here takes good care of Rory."

"And Jess, Seth, and Ryan," she mumbled, then speaking normally, "You're Hanlin?"

"Hanlin Charleston."

"Luke Danes," Luke introduced himself, "My wife Lorelai, my daughter Rory, my nephew Jess."

"And I'm Sandy Cohen. This is Kirsten, my wife, and my boys, Seth and Ryan."

"You all know each other?" Sandy was tempted to make a joke, but stopped himself,

"Yes. We're neighbors. Been friends for nine years."

"Hanlin, did you know that Rory has a 4.0 grade average?" Emily projected.

"All four of the kids do, actually. And I'm sure he knows, Mom."

"This is a very special girl. You take good care of her," Emily plowed on.

"We'll do our best, Emily. For all of the children."

"Oh, no. None of them are gonna be a problem. They're totally low maintenance. You know, like a Honda. You know, they're just easy, just. . . nice office." Emily shook her head, embarrassed,

"Well, I don't think we should take up anymore of your precious time. Hanlin, it was lovely to see you. Give Bitty our love."

"Tell Richard I'll see him at the club Sunday."

"Have a wonderful day, Rory. I want to hear all about it. You're coming to dinner next Friday night?" Rory nodded, "Lovely." Sandy stepped up to the headmaster,

"Very nice to meet you. Thank you so much."

"Thanks for everything," Kirsten said. Luke took his turn,

"I really appreciate it." Lorelai took Luke's hand and spoke to Headmaster Charleston,

"It's so nice to meet you," she turned to her children, "Have a great day," she kissed each of their foreheads, "Be good, get smart, take over the world for mommy."

"Yes, mother," they said together, joking about the story Lorelai had often told them about her childhood, when she was five and Emily had told her to answer with, "Yes, mother" and "Please, mother" or "No thank you, mother." The five-year-old Lorelai had found it hilarious, and always added an odd inflection into her tone. Yogi Bear had been a personal favorite.

Emily eyed them curiously, but decidedly kept her mouth shut.

"Good luck, you guys. I love you both. I'm really proud of you," Luke told them, hugging Rory and then Jess, "One of the four of us will be back to pick you up at three-thirty."

"Ok. Bye daddy."

"Bye, Luke." Lorelai and Luke stepped back and began to tend to Hannah and Josh, both of whom needed a diaper change. At the same time, Sandy and Kirsten said goodbye to their boys,

"You're gonna be fine. We love you. If you need us, call us. If you can't reach us, call Luke and Lorelai," Kirsten told them.

"Don't talk to strangers, don't pet any dogs you don't know," Seth continued sarcastically.

"Don't stick your fingers in a light socket," Ryan added.

"What?" Kirsten said, confused.

"It's the same speech you've given us since we were six."

"We'll be fine. We love you too. Bye, mom."

"I worry about you two."

"You can worry. Just not so much."

"Ok. I love you," she kissed their cheeks and let Sandy say goodbye,

"You've worked hard to get here. You both deserve this. I'll see you tonight. Bye, boys."

"Bye dad," Ryan smiled as his father pulled him into a tight hug. Sandy then moved to Seth,

"See you tonight."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After five-minute-long conversations with the headmaster each (alone, of course. Seth had noted that it was more intimidating that way), they were instructed to go see "Miss James in the administration office." They filled out forms, communicating with looks, occasionally giggling and sniggering at inside jokes to break the tension.

After being told of the rules and regulations of Chilton (during which Seth bit his tongue numerous times to prevent the escape of sarcastic comments), the four teenagers stepped out into the hallway, clutching their schedules nervously.

"Everyone trade," Ryan instructed gently. Jess and Rory stood close and compared schedules as Ryan and Seth did the same.

"Nothing," Rory sighed, separating her paper from Jess'.

"Lunch and Chem," Ryan announced, nodding, satisfied, at Seth. Jess and Ryan then compared papers, as did Seth and Rory.

"Nothing," Rory bit her lip nervously.

"Lunch," Said Jess, then reaching for Seth's paper.

Ryan and Rory stood shoulder-to-shoulder, comparing papers.

"Lunch, PE, and band," Seth announced happily.

"What about you guys?" asked Jess. Rory shook her head,

"Nothing."

"You're all alone _all _day?" asked Seth incredulously. She shook her head again, the fear evident in her eyes; to start a new school alone was terrifying, but to start a new school where you were alone and you knew that your cousin, boyfriend, and one of your best friends were wandering around together was daunting.

Ryan engulfed her in his arms as Jess panicked; he knew how his cousin would react to this kind of situation,

"Don't worry, we can fix this. You could go in and ask them to change your schedule. Or sneak out of your classes and come into ours. Or call mom and dad. They'll know what to do." Rory allowed herself to crack a small smile; though Luke and Lorelai considered Jess their son, it wasn't until recently that Jess came to accept them as truly his parents. Within the past few months, he had begun to refer to them as "our parents" or "mom and dad" when talking about them.

"No, no. They'll freak out and mom will send dad to pick me up and then Kirsten will find out and we'll all be taken out of Chilton. I'll be fine," They were all silent for a few seconds before Ryan pierced the quiet,

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?" She ignored his question and mumbled into his chest,

"You look weird in this uniform." He laughed and gave her a quick squeeze,

"Judging from that, you'll be fine." She nodded and pulled away,

"I will," she leaned forward and hugged her cousin, then Seth.

"Just remember the plan for Saturday night." She laughed,

"Yeah. Thanks, Sethie." She pulled away and nestled back into Ryan's arms, "I'll see you later." He nodded,

"It'll be over soon." They pulled back and kissed lightly.

"I love you, you know that?" He nodded,

"I know you do," Seth said. They all laughed and Rory threw a tissue planted in her hand at him,

"Shut up, Seth."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lane settled into her seat and glanced around the now-threatening classroom. She was in Geometry, where she'd usually be sitting with Seth and Rory, talking about what they'd done over the weekend, with Ryan and Jess escaping their study period two or three times each to walk by and try to make them laugh. The teacher, who often found it funny (when she wasn't teaching, but her class was doing individual work (as they did every day)) occasionally invited the boys in and made idle small talk with them.

Lane sighed sadly as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You miss them?" asked Ally. Lane shrugged,

"I'm adjusting. It's weird. I have you to talk to... except usually I don't. What are you doing here?"

"I have Geometry this period."

"With Mr. Bowman. This is Teller's class. Why are you guys in here?" She realized the now-enlarged class size.

"Bowman and Teller have a 'teacher's convention.'"

"Looking for Babette's gnome?"

"My money's on it."

"I wonder who the sub will be." As if on cue, a man, holding a bruised apple, an unsharpened pencil tucked behind his ear, his powder blue dress shirt tucked awkwardly into his belted khaki pants (which were too long and dragged lazily behind him on the floor) marched into the room.

"Kirk?" Lane said incredulously.

"That's Mr. Gleason to you, Miss Kim." Lane and Ally exchanged confused, skeptical glances before bursting into hysterical laughter.

"I thought you were gonna be a fireman this week," Lane joked.

"I'm retaking the test next week," said Kirk defensively, "I couldn't get Cinnamon out of the tree," Lane laughed harder, "What? His claws were sharp! And I'm afraid of heights..." Lane wiped at the tears on her cheeks and regained control,

"I'm sorry, Kirk..."

"Mr. Gleason!" He interrupted.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you." Kirk stood up straight and pulled the pencil from behind his ear, dropping it hastily on the table. He pulled out a felt-tipped marker. Ally, stifling a giggle, raised her hand,

"Kir... Mr. Gleason? Can I ask why you did that?"

"Not allowed to use sharp objects. Mother won't allow it," he said naturally.

"Really?"

"Yup," he responded proudly, "No sporks or butter knives in my house!" The class laughed and Kirk looked down, confused, "I'm wearing pants! This isn't like the dream!"

Lane sighed.

Seth and Rory would've loved this.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan glanced around the lunch room during sixth period. As he sat next to Jess and Seth at a vacant table in an abandoned corner of the spacious cafeteria, he reminisced about how his day had gone so far. Since the boys had lunch during seventh period, towards the end of the day, they had finished most of their first day of Chilton already.

Ryan had started his day in Chemistry with Mr. Kent, Seth taking a seat next to him. Both of them had felt the stares and heard the sniggers of the students behind them, their snide comments coming across loud and clear,

"Small towns make for stupid people."

"Brothers? Well, then... this should be fun."

"Excuse me, but your cow is double-parked." Seth leaned over to Ryan,

"See, I would've gone for the classic Monty Python 'What, ridden on a horse? Where's your coconuts?'" Ryan had laughed and felt grateful that his brother was there to back him up.

Spanish class, fourth period, however, had been a completely different story.

As he walked into the room and gave the teacher a note explaining who he was and what he was doing there, he heard whispering noises behind him. Expecting it was more cracks about Stars Hollow and him, personally, he turned around and snuck a glimpse to find something completely unpredicted.

Three girls- two blonde, one brunette, sat staring at him, giggling- they hadn't noticed that he saw them.

"He's really hot. Good thing, too. I was getting bored with what we have around here," one of the blonde girls (whose hair seemed to be dyed blonde) said.

"New meat is always good," the brunette whispered.

"I guess he is pretty good-looking," the other blonde girl admitted.

"What, Paris? You don't like Tristan now, with new boy on the block?"

"No, Louise. And I'd thank you not to say that out loud."

"Why not? The whole school knows you have a thing for him."

"I do not have a thing for him, Madeline. He's attractive and it wouldn't hurt to go out on a date with him. He may be a pleasant conversationalist." The brunette, Madeline, shook her head,

"Too many words for me." Ryan shook his head and laughed silently, but made sure that he didn't make eye contact. He didn't want to get into that conversation- not today.

The rest of the period had been spent in uncomfortable silence, the girls passing notes and staring at him the entire time. When the bell finally rang, Ryan began to pack up his books, hoping that he could catch Rory in the hallway, knowing that she was in the same one this period.

Before he could get out of the room, though, the blonde girl stepped in front of him,

"Hey."

"Hi," he said awkwardly. He moved to step away, but she quickly moved in front of him again, reaching to stroke his forearm,

"You new?"

"Yeah."

"Where you from?"

"Stars Hollow."

"Where's that?"

"Far away from here," he muttered.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"So..."

"I actually should get going."

"Why? You're not going to be late." Ryan sighed,

"Look... I have a girlfriend."

"So?"

"So, I have a girlfriend."

"Your point being?"

"We've been together for two years now."

"Don't you think it's time for a little change?" Ryan snapped his fingers sarcastically,

"You know, if I didn't love my girlfriend and I wasn't completely creeped out by you, I would definitely say yes. But both of those are true. So, sorry." He stepped away and left a shocked and angry-looking Louise behind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess scratched at his head as he remembered the incident during fourth-period English with Mr. Medina.

The class had been spent with girls staring at him, boys cracking jokes about him, and people staring wild-eyed at him in the hallway. He blocked them all out, though, and thought only about his family, friends, and the fact that this was a terrific opportunity for him.

He smiled to himself as he thought.

_I'm at Chilton. And I did it through good grades. No one's mad at me. I have a girlfriend. And my parents are proud of me... I have parents. I have a mom and a dad who love me and take care of me and are **proud **of me. It's still a little weird. After five years, it's still a little weird. And I have two sisters and a brother. They're not even my cousins anymore. My brother Josh and my sisters Rory and Hannah. Which is so weird..._  
He smiled to himself as he rummaged through his new bookbag for his English notebook. What he found, however, was a glossy picture. He pulled it out and read the back to himself,

_Dear Jess, _

Just a little reminder that we love you and that, as difficult as this first day is gonna be, we're always gonna be there to listen and help. We're the parents. It's what we do.

Love you, sweetie.

Lorelai and Luke

He grinned and flipped the picture over to find a picture they had taken the day before.

It was a family portrait. Jess and Rory stood in front, holding Hannah and Josh respectively. Luke and Lorelai stood behind them, in front of Kandy's. Jess couldn't help but smile broader as he thought of what yesterday had meant to him. It had been the first day he'd referred to Luke and Lorelai as mom and dad to their faces.

_When he was unable to get Lorelai's attention, he called her name numerous times, _

"Lorelai?... Lorelai... Lorelai!... MOM!" She had turned around and tried to hide the surprised, excited look on her face,

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Problems with his tie," he said, pointing to Luke.

"Who? You?"

"No. Dad." Lorelai, unable to prevent herself from boiling over with happiness, threw her arms around him,

"I love you, kid."

He glanced up and saw the teacher enter the room.

"Mr. Medina?" he said, getting up and leaving the picture on his desk.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"I'm Jess Mariano. I'm new. I was told to give you this note," he handed him a slip of paper.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Mariano. I'm sure you'll enjoy the class, if not be terrified by the bulk of the work."

"Nothing can shock me. I'm from a small town." Mr. Medina laughed,

"Take your seat." Jess nodded, glad he had made a good first impression, and turned to head back towards his seat. He found two boys staring at his picture.

"She's hot," one of them grinned manically.

"Very," the other one agreed. Jess ripped the picture out of the boys' hands, "Hey, man, what's your problem?"

"My problem? My problem is that's my sister!" The boys laughed, "What the hell is so funny?" He said quietly.

"That's your sister?" The first boy asked, pointing at Lorelai in the picture. Jess' face turned purple with rage. He couldn't deal with people talking about women he loved in such an objectified way; it went back to his early childhood, when he had witnessed Liz dating men who treated her like crap and were gone in the morning.

"No, that's my mother!" He still spoke quietly, making sure that the teacher didn't know anything was wrong.

"That's your mom? Dude, your mom's hot!" Jess resisted the urge to push the guy with every fiber of his being,

"Shut up."

"You should be happy that we think your mom's hot. It's a compliment."

"My mother gave birth to my brother and sister two weeks ago."

"Really? Then she's even hotter. She's got a great look for someone who just had kids." Jess was about to punch the boys, but thought better of it, remembering Luke's words from earlier, _"I love you both. I'm really proud of you."_ He stopped himself and tucked the picture into his pocket, fuming. Bringing his voice to a low, threatening whisper, he told the boys, "Watch yourself. Say one more word about my mom and you won't be happy. I'm not gonna hit you now, because I'm not that kind of person. I'm gonna spare you. But watch yourself next time."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth glanced around the room. He was glad to be back in the company of his brother and best friend; his one encounter so far with being alone hadn't turned out so well.

Fourth period, when Jess was in English, Ryan had Spanish, and Rory had History, Seth was alone in Tech.

_At least it's an elective. Maybe they'll let up a bit._ he thought as he wandered into the high-tech classroom. There were table saws set up next to computers everywhere. _Odd organizational skills. _

His thoughts, at least, were deviated from what they had been all day. He had though Ryan and Jess were going to kill him from his constant ponderings about Lane.

_How do you think Lane is?... Do you think she's ok without me?... Do you think Ally's taking care of her?... What are the odds she'll be able to help out with Saturday night? I really want her to. She should at least have that with her friends... I can't believe we abandoned her like that._

Jess had told him,

"She's fine! Call her when you get home, but she's fine! I promise you! I told Ally. Ally's watching out for her. She's watching out for Ally. You're neurotic."

His brother hadn't beat around the bush either,

"Seth, I'm gonna kill you. She's fine. You know she's fine. This is just another bump in the road that you're overdramatizing. I'm gonna kill mom for giving you that, too. If you're worried, go find a payphone and call her."

He laughed; he knew they'd react like that (granted, it had taken two straight hours of his talking about Lane before they'd responded).

He found a seat towards the rear of the class and put his books down before walking up the teacher, a crotchety old man of about sixty, deep-set gray eyes peering through bifocals, a button-up flannel shirt tucked into suit pants (_Again, odd choice, but whatever floats your boat..._), and one finger missing off of his right hand. Seth stood for a minute, not quite sure how to start. As he decided, a gruff voice startled him,

"You gonna say something, or is the reenactment of Cleopatra's victims gonna be it for you?" Seth jumped a little, but stood up straight,

"No, sir. I'm Seth Cohen. I'm a new student."

"Cohen?" The man looked at his grade sheet, "Cohen, Seth. What kind of a name is that? What ethnicity?"

"Jewish."

"Not Cohen. Seth."

"Um... I don't know... I'm named after my grandpa... I think. Anyway, I umm... my dad liked the name and my brother's name is Ryan and they just thought 'Ryan and Seth. Good twin names.' and..."

"Stop babbling," the man grunted.

"I'm sorry, sir."

"Here are the rules. Be careful. No running. No fights. No talking when I'm talking, or you're switched to chorus."

"I like to sing," Seth joked.

"Not that kind of chorus," the teacher, Mr. Bell, said. When he didn't offer any sort of further response, Seth shuddered. He wasn't quite sure he wanted to know what the other kind of chorus was. Mr. Bell continued, "Don't be a smartass. And be careful around the jigsaws," he held up his cut hand, "See this? I wasn't careful. Cut off my finger with a jigsaw."

"That's what made you switch to teaching?" The man laughed evilly,

"Did it during class one day. Idiots just stared at me. Had to wait until one kid vomited before the other kids realized that they had to go get the nurse. Morons," he sized up Seth, "You seem like you'll fit in well." Seth's eyes widened and he nodded; he had no idea what else to do; he was truly afraid of this man,

"Ok... well, I'm just gonna go..."

"Take your seat."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sighed. Her day had sucked so far, and it was only fourth period.

After English, she had been stopped by a blonde girl who seemed familiar to her, yet she couldn't place from where. She knew it wasn't a pleasant memory.

The girl hadn't been friendly or receptive; she'd yelled something about her intentions of being valedictorian and the fact that the school and its newspaper were her domain before Rory escaped, desperate to find a friendly face.

She thought of her parents, brothers, and sister for comfort. The night before, they had spent until ten-thirty sitting on the swing together, bringing Hannah and Josh, bundled in blankets, hats, and coats outside for ten-minute increments every so often. They'd really grown since birth, and had gained a few pounds each. They were big, and everyone told them that Hannah looked exactly like her, though Rory thought Hannah looked like their father. Sitting until late into the night in the comfortable happiness of her family made her smile, and she was distracted as she went to open her locker.

When it didn't open, she pulled at it, frustrated, thoughts of her parents and siblings gone.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to open," she muttered to the locker. Suddenly, she lost her grip and flew backwards as the metal door flew open, knocking down the girl from earlier in the process, "Oh no! I am so sorry. Paris, please, I'm so sorry," she helped pick up the broken project lying on the floor, "It was an accident. My locker, it just slipped. I pulled too hard. I didn't mean to. . .is there water in that moat?" Paris only glared at her,

"Get away from me." As Paris stalked into the next classroom, Rory put her book away and sighed, defeated. She stopped a boy walking by for directions,

"Excuse me, I need Mrs. Ness, History?"

"It's behind you," he pointed to the class where Paris had just disappeared. Rory mumbled,

"Of course it is." She walked purposefully into the classroom.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Paris grunted to her friends as Ms. Ness entered the room,

"Seats now, please... Okay, we left our projects off on Friday with Mr. Gaynor, so today we will pick up with Miss Gellar." Paris valiantly stood up as Rory watched on,

"I don't have my project." Ms. Ness looked at her, confused,

"Miss Gellar, did you have sufficient time to complete your project?"

"Yes."

"And yet you don't have it done?"

"Nope."

"All right, you will receive an incomplete for this project." Rory stood up, guilty,

"It's my fault." _Damn you, dad, for giving me this stupid conscience. And mom, for teaching me that we need to stick up for each other to survive in this world._

"Who are you?"

"Rory Danes. I wrecked her project."

"Shut up," Paris muttered.

"I don't have a Rory Danes. I have a Lorelai Gilmore-Danes." Rory nodded, unwilling to go into that,

"That's me."

"You are Rory Danes and Lorelai Gilmore-Danes?" _I said yes. What are you not getting, lady?_

"Yes. And I wrecked her project. My locker got stuck."

"Just stay out of this." _I'm trying to help you, you idiot._

"Do you go by Rory or Lorelai?" _Soooo not what's important right now!_

"Whatever. It's not her fault."

"I need you to pick one." _What?_

"One what?"

"One name." _Holy crap, lady, get over it! I don't care, neither should you!_

"Rory."

"Fine, thank you. Rory, you wrecked Paris' project when?" _Finally. Focus on importance first._

"Just before class."

"Very convenient." _Shut up._

"No, I did. My locker got stuck and when I opened it..."

"Stop it!" _I'm not getting you here, Paris._

"Miss Gilmore, since you say you wrecked Miss Gellar's project, then you may help her fix it. You have until tomorrow." _Good. Because my parents don't need my help at the inn and the diner and with the twins... Wait... I got myself into this mess._

"Fine."

"No," Paris said petulantly.

"Why not?" _Private schools are soooo strange._

"I don't want your help!"

"But I don't mind doing it." _Though I'd rather be home with my boyfriend and friends and brother and baby brother and sister._

"Just stay out of this."

"What is wrong with you? I'm trying to help you." _Hannah's less stubborn._

"Well, don't!"

"Ladies, enough. Miss Gellar, if you don't want Miss Gilmore's help, then you may have until tomorrow. If it's not done, you will receive an incomplete. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Paris sat down.

"As long as you're standing. . .class, we have a new student. Say hello to Rory Gilmore-Danes."

"Rory Danes,"she sighed to herself, "No one's called me Gilmore-Danes since I was six."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At three-thirty, the Kelly Road Posse met outside of the school. Jess quickly hugged his pseudo-sister before allowing Seth and then Ryan to step in.

"You ok?" she nodded,

"I will be. Let's go home." She found her mother standing outside the Jeep, five cups of coffee in hand,

"Daddy thought it might be a good idea," she said quietly. Rory wordlessly ran to her mother and threw her arms around her,

"So... this whole plaid skirt thing? The boys' and my idea?"

"Sucky day?"

"The suckiest." Lorelai nodded,

"Ok. Still hugging."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Have you seen the kids?" Lorelai shifted Josh, bottle in hand, to her other side on Saturday night.

"Seth said something about 'slicking back' his hair, grabbed a leather jacket, and left. Ryan's with Rory... I think..."

"That's comforting... At least they've gotten used to school. Gotten over the shock." Kirsten laughed.

Out of the unseasonably-warm night air, they heard Jess' voice,

"Hello, and welcome to Star's Hollow Movie for Madness night." Taylor looked around, confused,

"I didn't ask for an introduction..." It dawned on Lorelai and Kirsten at the same time,

"Uh-oh."

"Kelly Road strikes again."

"We should've known. In hindsight, the boys were planning something all week."

"So were my kids..." They turned their attention back to Jess,

"So, the movie tonight is _Shoah_," Taylor and Kirk clapped enthusiastically. Everyone else sighed, but no one moved. They all knew that Luke, Lorelai, Kirsten, and Sandy's kids wouldn't take this "injustice" (Seth's word choice) without a fight. Jess forged on,

"But, we also requested that Taylor show _Grease_. He told us that he would, but he never pulled through. So we thought we'd take matters into our own hands.

"So, without further ado, the Kelly Road Posse presents 'A Touch of Grease'." He replaced the mike and nodded at Lane (who had escaped her mother's clutches at the movie with an excuse of bathroom necessity and was now hidden with their gear under the gazebo). She hit the strobe lights, which cast a moving red light over the white fixture.

Seth, clad in jeans, a white t-shirt, and a leather jacket stepped onto the makeshift stage and turned to face away from the townies, popping his collar,

"_This car is automatic. Systematic. Hydromatic. Why, it's Grease lightning!_" He sang the entire song and stepped offstage as Jess and Ally (who had been coaxed into it by a tired Jess) stepped into the middle, the other three around them, and began to sing _Summer Loving._ Everyone in the audience clapped and sang along as Kirsten and Lorelai laughed.

The big finale had everyone on their feet. Everyone cheered as Rory, dressed in black off-the-shoulder leather, her hair in curls. Ryan, wearing something similar to Seth's earlier outfit, stepped onstage,

"_You're the one that I want..._" They performed the entire song and dance and grabbed everyone involved (except the hidden Lane) onstage to take a bow. The crowd erupted in cheers as Lorelai kissed Josh on the cheek,

"Sorry, sweetie. There's no way you're gonna turn out normal."


	20. Happy Birthday

_A/N- I love reviews. I want to make a review song and dance. But that might be a little extreme... Any other suggestions?_

_A/N 2- Questions! Thanks for the movie suggestion. I'll definitely check it out :)... I have no idea what I'm gonna do about Max. I'll probably throw him in in some way, shape, or form... I got the nature vs. nurture thing from habit. I'm a crazy political nutjob. I'm the daughter of a lawyer. I have to be. Ask my friends and cousin. I'm crazy political... K that's all for now, darlings!_

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew that the movie in the last chapter was _Rocky Horror Picture Show_. I freakin love that movie... My friend and I were working together last week and there was a lull and we randomly started doing theTime Warp in my parents' ice cream store...So, to... GarniGal, KatyDid7186, Katelyn Lilly, Du Grey, Chelsea (again! Gosh, are you watching while I type or something? Lol... we really do have similar tastes), and beatlechicksteph_

_Challenge: What movie is Ryan watching in the first scene of the chapter? Same rules as always, darlings._

_Disclaimer: You think I'd go to the store at 11:30 to decorate cakes for my parents if I owned GG or the OC? I don't think so._

Happy Birthday

Ryan lounged in the big leather sofa-chair in the den, one of his favorite movies playing on the TV.

_"If you want to join the People's Front of Judea, you have to really hate the Romans." _

"I do!"

"Oh yeah, how much?"

"A lot!"

"Right, you're in." Ryan laughed. No matter how many times he'd seen this particular movie, he still found it hysterical. He considered it one of the classics of the cinema. He glanced up quickly from Brian's attempts at joining one of the Judean groups to find his father walking frantically into the room.

"Ry, have you seen my order sheets?" Ryan nodded and pointed in front of him, still staring at the TV,

"On the coffee table."

"Thanks," Sandy was about to grab them and leave, but stopped in his tracks when he realized the scene in front of him, "Ryan?"

"Yeah, dad?"

"What are you doing?"

"Movie," he shrugged. Sandy shook his head,

"No, I mean what are you doing at home? On a Friday night at 7. Watching a movie in your pajamas. Eating Corn Pops from the box." Ryan shook his head,

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Well, if I'm not mistaken, don't you have a girlfriend that you could be out with right now?" Ryan shook his head,

"She's at dinner with her grandparents. Gonna be every other Friday from now on or something."

"What about your brother? Couldn't you do something with him?"

"He's out with Lane. She's taking him out for a birthday dinner at Al's."

"Jess?"

"His parents took him out to go clothes shopping. He said Lorelai kept telling him that once he hit sixteen his shot up seven inches."

"Yeah, she was telling us. Said that as a birthday present, nature gave him a growth spurt as a present," He paused, trying to find another person to get his son to get together with, "How about..." Ryan stopped him,

"Dad, if you say Hannah and Josh, I'm going to erase all of your Tivo'd 'Daily Shows'."

"Ok, ok. Not the twins. Please, Ed Helms doesn't deserve that. But don't you have anything better to do than to watch people on crucifixes sing 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life'?" Ryan shrugged,

"I don't know..."

"Why don't you come over to the store and help out mom and me? Brad and Megan are working. You're friends with them, right?" Ryan shrugged,

"Yeah, I am. But I'm not really in the mood to go help at the store."

"You don't have to help. You can just hang out. Sit in the office if you want."

"Isn't that kinda the same as sitting in the den?"

"Work with me here."

"I don't know, dad. I want to relax." Sandy sighed, but smiled as he realized a possible solution,

"Tomorrow's your birthday. Go out and go shopping for some new CDs. On me. Consider it an early birthday present."

"Thanks, dad, but I'm not getting any more until after Seth and my birthday. We don't want doubles. If we buy them now, we might have to go all the way to the mall to return them and we just don't have the patience for that." Sandy laughed,

"That was the laziest thing I've ever heard you say." Ryan nodded,

"I'm tired and bored. I can be lazy right now."

"C'mon, Ry. There's gotta be something else you can do. Nobody in the world knows the difference between the _Judean People's Front _and the _People's Front of Judea _better than you." Ryan shook his head and looked back at the TV, but the pictures perched next to it were what caught his eye. They were professional pictures that they had taken in school earlier in the year; the Cohens and Daneses had ordered "sibling shots" in different combinations. The sibling shots were usually pictures of brothers and sisters at the school, but the adults had decided that they wanted pictures of their four children together

There were two photographs- one of Seth and Ryan standing next to each other, hands tucked into their pockets as Jess and Rory did the same closely next to them. Lorelai had titled that picture "Our Four Eldest," and Kirsten, Luke, and Sandy had agreed. The other picture was of the three teenage couples, Seth and Lane on the right, Ally and Jess on the left, and Ryan and Rory in the middle; all three couples had the boys behind the girls, their arms wrapped around the girls' waists, heads over shoulders, forming a straight line of faces, though it was obvious to see who the couples were.

His gaze focused on Rory for a second before he jumped up,

"I have it!"

"What do you have?"

"An idea. I'm going out. I'll be back later." He was about to run out the door when his father stopped him,

"Ryan!"

"What, dad?"

"You go out looking like that, people are gonna be afraid to wake you up."

"Huh?"

"You look like you're sleepwalking. You're in pajamas." Ryan looked down,

"Oh, right. Thanks, dad."

"No problem, son," Ryan ran up the stairs as Sandy called after him, "Sorry about interrupting your movie!"

"That's ok! You tore me away before Brian comes out of the window and sees the crowd!" Sandy laughed; that part had disturbed him when he had first seen the movie also.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Holy cow, you missed the funniest thing the other day," Lane breathed to Seth over their shared piece of chocolate cake at Al's. Seth cocked his head to the side and looked his girlfriend in the eye, confused,

"Your mom try and convert some of the Hare Krishna's at the airport again?" Lane laughed,

"No. They still won't let her through the terminals unaccompanied there, though."

"So what happened?"

"In school, Dean was walking down the hall and Mike called his name. Dean turns around and waves hi, turns out Mike was standing right next to Ellie."

"Dean likes Ellie, doesn't he?"

"A lot. He's always drooling after her. Then again, he does after most of the girls in school." Seth became nervous,

"Not you, right?" She grinned at his innocent insecurity,

"No, Sethie. He knows I have a boyfriend who I love and that he could never tear me away from him."

"Good... because otherwise I'd have to... you know... kick his ass..." She smiled patronizingly at him,

"I know you would."

"Continue with the story."

"Oh, yeah. So Dean gets all excited and starts walking towards them and he does that creepy eye contact thing..."

"Ah, yes. Don't break eye contact with a girl you like while walking towards her. It's mesmerizing. The guy's guide to dating."

"It's creepy. The girl's guide to stupid guy tricks."

"Ok. No more creepy eye contact."

"Thank you... so, he's making eye contact with Ellie and Tom walks by..."

"The maintenance guy?"

"Yeah... So, Dean doesn't see him walk by and he trips, knocks over the garbage can Tom's carrying, rolls over the can, right into the garbage." Seth, envisioning the situation, began to shake with laughter, tears rolling down his cheeks,

"Oh, man. Everyone was ok, right?"

"Yeah. Dean's ego was bruised, but it'll heal. Unfortunately." They sat and laughed together for a few minutes before the noise grew into a comfortable silence. Seth grabbed her hand from across the table and ran his thumb comfortingly over it,

"Hey..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry..."

"For what?" He was silent for a moment, seemingly reaching for the right words,

"For leaving you."

"You're doing what!"

"No, no. Not like that. For leaving you alone. At school." She shook her head,

"No, Seth. No. Don't go into this now. Please. I already told you I'm ok at school. I'm happy for you. Proud of you." He sighed,

"I worry about you..."

"Don't. I'm sure you're talking about it constantly, and I'm sure it's bothering Ryan, Rory, and Jess. I'm honestly fine. Ok?"

"Ok... but promise me one thing?"

"If anything's bothering you, you will tell me, right?"

"Of course." He leaned forward and kissed her,

"I love you."

"I know you do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory stood in the living room, a stack of post-its in her hand. _This is bizarre._

"So, how's it going?" Her grandmother's voice startled her. _Mom. Daddy. Jess... Hannah or Josh... I don't care who. This is just too weird. Please come soon._

"Oh... fine, Grandma."

"Very nice piece you chose."

"Oh... you have good taste. It's hard not to pick a nice piece."

"Why, thank you, Rory."

"Oh. No problem."

"Rory, dear, I wanted to ask you. Do you have any special requests for dinner next week?"

"Oh, well..." _I'm not supposed to be here next week. So shouldn't I be telling my mom?_

"I was wondering what you wanted to eat on your birthday."

"Oh, Grandma... Mom and Dad already..."

"Rory, did you forget about our deal?" _Our what?_

"I'm sorry?"

"Our deal. We decided that you would be here next week and then you'll go two weeks in a row with no dinner here." _I'm sorry... I don't remember that at all..._

"Grandma, I..."

"Oh, no, Rory. Did you forget?" _Forget what?_

"Well, I..."

"Oh, well, go ahead with your plans... I guess I don't need to see my granddaughter on her sixteenth birthday..."

"Oh, Grandma, I..."

"I guess I'll just cancel the plans I had made." _Oh no..._

"You made plans, Grandma?"

"Yes, dear. I made plans. But I'll cancel them. Go ahead. Have your fun."

"Oh... no, grandma... we can change our plans."

"Really, Rory? I don't want to be any inconvenience." _Yes, you do._

"Oh, no. It's ok... Mom and dad can just... throw my party on Saturday instead, I guess."

"Oh, wonderful." _Mom's gonna be maaaaad..._

In the foyer, the maid swung the front door open to reveal a man in a flannel shirt and backwards baseball cap,

"Hi, I'm Luke Danes. I'm here to pick up my daughter Rory," Luke told the frightened-looking woman. She nodded,

"Yes, sir. Just a moment," The woman turned around and jumpily made her way towards the living room. _What's Rory doing there? Shouldn't they be in the den? Or the dining room?_, "Miss Gilmore, your father is here for you."

"Danes," Rory corrected.

"I'm sorry?"

"Danes. I'm Rory Danes," Luke smiled; he knew Rory hated it when people called her Gilmore or Gilmore-Danes. She had recently told him it was because it made her feel less connected to him and her siblings.

"But your grandmother said..."

"Yes, yes, Cecilia. My granddaughter occasionally goes by Danes."

"Always," Rory said adamantly.

"Rory, are you going?" From what Luke could gather, judging by his tone of voice and the footsteps that entered the next room, Richard had just entered the living room.

"Yeah, grandpa. My dad is here."

"Luke is here?"

"Yes. It's time for Miss..." Cecilia trailed off, unsure how to finish.

"Gilmore," answered Emily as Richard and Rory both said, "Danes."

"Well, Rory, I have something to ask your father. Lead the way." Rory, Emily, and Richard appeared from behind the threshold.

"Hi, daddy," she breathed. Luke noted her apparent worry,

"Hey, honey," She streamed towards him and he put his arm comfortingly around her, kissing her temple, "You have a good time?" She nodded unconvincingly and he stroked her hair, giving her a questioning look,

_What happened?_ She looked him in the eye,

_I'll tell you later._

"Luke, just the man I needed to see."

"Hello, Richard. How's life treating you?"

"Not bad at all. Listen, I have a question for you. What size does Joshua wear?"

"Josh and Hannah are both wearing zero to three months right now, but they're growing fast. Why?"

"I have some Yale baby clothes that I bought for him and Hannah and I was wondering if they were the appropriate size."

"What size did you buy?"

"Zero to three months."

"Oh, Richard, it might be a better idea to return them and get the twins the bigger size. They'll grow out of it within two weeks."

"Nonsense. I'll buy them in all of the sizes. That way they can have them as they grow."

"Oh, that's not necessary."

"Don't be silly, Luke. They're my grandchildren. They deserve the best. Which reminds me, I bought matching sweatshirts for Rory and Jess." Luke was touched at the gesture; for Richard, this was acceptance of Jess as another grandchild, or at least as a member of the family,

"Thanks, Richard. That's really great of you."

"No problem at all. I'll be seeing you soon?"

"Yeah. You should really see the twins. They're getting so big... If you want, you can come to our house next week. We're having a sweet sixteen for Rory."

"That sounds lovely, Luke. We'll see you then."

"Great. We'll call you once we figure out the details."

"Wonderful. Speak to you then," he turned to his granddaughter and offered her an awkward hug, "Goodbye, Rory. See you soon."

"Bye, grandpa. Bye, grandma."

"Goodbye, Rory dear." Luke led Rory out the door, giving a small wave goodbye.

"Ror? What's the matter, princess? You look pale," He stopped her after the front door was closed,

"I'd rather tell you and mom together, dad."

"Ok." Rory opened the back door (to the new SUV that her parents had purchased (despite much protest from her mother) after the twins were born) to cries of angst from a tired Josh.

"Jess, give your brother his binky," Lorelai told Jess.

"Where is it?"

"I don't know. Doesn't he have it on his lap or something?"

"No."

"Is it on the seat?"

"No."

"On the floor?"

"No."

"Jess!" She exclaimed at her eldest, frustrated.

"Mom!" He countered. Rory smiled slightly; since the first time he'd said it two weeks earlier, Jess had become increasingly comfortable calling Luke and Lorelai "Mom and Dad". He often alternated between the two in conversation.

Without another word, Lorelai plunged into the diaper bag, searching for a toy to calm Joshua.

"Aha!" She cried, "I found it!"

"Atlantis?"

"No. Binky!" She handed him the small blue pacifier, which he promptly put into Josh's mouth, his crying ceasing, slight intrigue in his eyes as his big brother watched him drift back to sleep.

Lorelai turned her attention to Rory, now checking her cell phone for missed calls,

"Hi, sweets. How was dinner?"

"It was good. A little weird."

"Ah, Emily and Richard's house of horrors. What happened?"

"Well, dinner was perfectly nice. We had some kind of meat that was really good and then we had pudding."

"Pudding? My mother served pudding?"

"Yes. Granted, it was in a crystal bowl, but..."

"What's the big deal?" asked Jess.

"Emily Gilmore does not serve pudding. To her, pudding is hospital food. Why did she serve pudding?"

"I told her I liked it a few weeks ago. She asked what kinds of foods I ate, and I told her pudding."

"Incredible. I lived there sixteen years and never once got pudding. I did a song and dance about my love for pudding once. Was not allowed pudding. I offered to whack anybody who knows any of the family's deep, dark secrets. Still no pudding. I threatened to get a puppy without telling them, bring it into the house, and let it do whatever it wanted. I wasn't allowed to go to the Winter Formal at school and I still didn't get any pudding," Her tone wasn't jealous; it was actually admiring.

"We have pudding at home. I'll give you a SnackPack if you behave," Luke offered, putting the car in drive.

"Mom, are you jealous?" Jess asked, laughing.

"No, I'm impressed," she turned to Rory, "You have much skill, master. I am forever at your mercy." Luke ignored her,

"What else did you do, Ror?"

"Well, this was the weird part. Grandma goes, 'Our lawyer, Joseph Stanford, is coming by tomorrow.'" Her mother cut her off,

"Uggh... Crazy Sissy's dad."

"Crazy Sissy?"

"Sissy talked to her stuffed animals and they answered her."

"Oh, yeah," Luke laughed, "I've heard stories." Rory forged on,

"So, she's like, 'Joseph Stanford is coming tomorrow and we thought it might be nice after dinner for you to go around the house and pick out what you'd like us to leave you in our wills', so Grandpa goes, 'Or anything that your parents or brothers or sister might like'. And I'm sitting there thinking 'What? I don't know what Hannah and Josh are going to like. And this is not Jess' taste. And mom and dad are going to make fun of this forever.'"

"You're damn right we are! I'm sending you with a tape recorder from now on. We need to save these things."

"But that's not it. I'm standing there, Post-iting this vase which, by the way, there's nowhere we can put it."

"How about the Emily and Richard Gilmore psycho museum?"

"Mom, focus. So, grandma walks in and goes 'Any special requests for dinner next week?'"

"Next week is your birthday," Lorelai said.

"I know."

"We're throwing you a party."

"Well aware, dad. And, apparently, Grandma wasn't, nor did she care."

"Oh no."

"She guilted me into coming next week."

"She did what?"

"And all of you, too."

"Oh, Rory..."

"I'm sorry, mom. I really didn't want to. But I didn't have the heart to say, 'No, you can't celebrate my birthday with me'."

"Ugh, that woman. That conniving, scheming woman. Don't worry, Ror, I'll call her right now and tell her to let you do what you want and to cancel whatever bizarre plans she's made."

"No, mom! Don't." Lorelai stopped herself from dialing and turned to face her daughter,

"Why not? Did she bribe you or blackmail you or something?"

"No, Bugsy. It's just... as manipulative as she is, she's still my grandma. And it's not worth it to me to get into a fight with her now; I barely know her. Just... please, mom. Switch my party to Saturday. Please." Lorelai sighed,

"That's what you really want?"

"Yeah."

"Ok. Saturday it is."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan, large shopping bags in hand, bounced into the backyard in frustration, encountering Seth and Lane nestled together on the backyard swing.

"Good. There you two are. Listen, I need to talk to you." Lane sat up against Seth's warm sweatshirt,

"What's up?"

"Ok, well, tonight, I didn't have anything to do..."

"So you sat in your pajamas all night eating cereal and watching old movies."

"How did you...?"

"I'm your brother, dude." Ryan shook his head,

"I _was_ doing that, but then dad came in and told me to stop wallowing and go out and do something."

"So what'd you do?"

"I went shopping."

"Alright, Ryan!" Cheered Lane as Seth whined,

"C'mon, bro, don't tell me the girls have finally gotten to you!" Ryan shook his head again,

"No. I went shopping for Rory's birthday present. I need your opinions."

"Ok, shoot." He pulled out an oversized Harvard sweatshirt and handed it to Lane,

"Now, I know she has a million of those, but I thought that it would be perfect."

"And completely unromantic," commented Seth. Ryan scoffed,

"What do you know about romance?" Lane shrugged,

"For my birthday, he took me out for a nighttime picnic by the river and gave me a copy of _Yellow Submarine _because the first time we met, that was the movie that we watched." Ryan's mouth dropped open,

"Fine. Then I need your help."

"What else you got?" Ryan pulled out a copy of the Beatles' CD _One_,

"She mentioned that she wanted it. I thought it was a good idea."

"Closer, but..."

"Still no good?" Seth shook his head,

"And I think Jess got it for her already..."

"Not romantic?"

"Not if both you and her brother bought it for her."

"What else you got in your bag o' goodies?" Ryan sighed,

"It's stupid."

"Show," Lane commanded. Ryan obligingly pulled out the last present. Lane gasped,

"Oh, my gosh! That's gorgeous!" He blushed,

"These each symbolize something." Lane squealed,

"Oh my gosh! That's so sweet!"

"G-d! I have the perfect idea," he gasped, "Thanks so much, guys! I've got to go finish this!" As he ran away, Lane called after him, checking her watch,

"Happy birthday in three hours!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"_Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Seth and Ryan. Happy birthday to you!_" The small group of guests at the Cohens' house sang. Ryan and Seth smiled at their guests before blowing out the ice cream cake with a picture of the two of them in their Grease outfits on top.

"Speech! Speech!" Sandy demanded. Seth stepped up first,

"Ok, ok. Since I am older, smarter, and, let's face it, better looking, I will make the first speech," Seth joked

"You're gonna let him get away with that?" Lorelai asked.

"It's his birthday. Besides, we all know it's not true. No need to screw up his confidence," Ryan shrugged, slipping his arm around Rory's waist. She cuddled closer to him and listened to Seth deliver his speech,

"Hello, all. Thank you so much for attending my baby brother and my birthday celebration. Today, I am sixteen years old. I am almost a man. In my religion, I've been a man for three years. It's a good feeling, and I'd like to thank you for letting me know just how terrific I really am. You're all wonderful. Thank you, my babies." Seth stepped down from the chair and motioned for Ryan to take his spot. Ryan pulled away from his girlfriend and stood up on the chair,

"Ok. Unlike my brother's modest thank you two seconds ago, I'm gonna keep a modicum of normalcy in my speech. I'd like to thank you all for coming and for being there for me and my family for the past ten years. Thank you to my parents and my brother. Because... because they're my family. And, thanks Lorelai, Luke, Jess, Ally, Hannah, Josh, and Lane. Because our little extended family is crazy and keeps me alive every day." Lorelai, Kirsten, Ally, Lane, and Rory wiped tears from their eyes as Ryan stepped down, back over to Rory.

As everyone returned to talking and cutting the cake, Ryan leaned in to whisper to Rory,

"Is it ok for me to kiss you right now?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Your dad's standing right there." She glanced over at him and looked back at Ryan, smiling devilishly,

"It's your birthday. I'm sure it's ok." He smiled and leaned in to kiss her. Their lips met softly, but they were interrupted by Seth,

"Yo, Romeo! Juliet! We're opening presents! Get over here!" They hesitantly pulled apart, Ryan whispering,

"I should've been an only child."

They spent the next half-hour opening gifts. A new bike each from their parents. A new set of noise-reducing headphones each from Ally. A photo album "from Hannah and Josh" (Luke laughed and rolled his eyes at the gesture, but the girls all oohed and aahed). A copy of _Dark Side of the Moon _and the _Wizard of Oz _from Jess, with specific instructions to host a movie night within the next month to try the trick out. Lane gave Ryan a copy of the _Friends_ _Trivia Guide_, winking at him jokingly (she was one of the few people who know of his guilty pleasure), and a new metal baseball bat and ball. Rory, joking that she should've given Seth a baseball bat, handed him the first two seasons of _Family Guy _on DVD.

Lane stood up and walked over to Seth,

"Ok. So... for my last birthday, Seth, believe it or not, had this whole grand romantic gesture. And I wasn't really sure if I could match it. But I tried." She picked up a small present from behind Seth's chair, "Ok, now, if you really don't like it, we can always return it."

Seth ripped eagerly at the paper,

"No freakin' way."

"What is it?" Lorelai asked eagerly, propping Hannah up on her lap. Seth only looked up at Lane,

"Thanks. This is so cool." She smiled at him,

"You're welcome."

"What is it?" Lorelai asked again, leaning over a bit to see if she could catch a glimpse.

Seth began to flip through some sort of book,

"This is too much."

"No it isn't." He leaned forward and kissed her gently, smiling through the kiss.

"Seth Ezekiel Cohen," Lorelai scolded, "What is it!" Seth laughed and flipped the gift around. First, he held up a copy of _Grease _on DVD, a note attached reading, "_If you ever need inspiration. Or something to distract your dad._" Sandy laughed,

"Lane, you were always my favorite." Next, he pulled out a copy of _Monty Python's Meaning of Life_, another piece of paper reading, _"To distract your brother._" Ryan laughed,

"Great, great movie." Seth held up the last DVD, a copy of _The Bridges of Madison County _and a note, "_To distract your mom. Or anyone who enjoys a good chick flick now and then._" He held up the last thing, "And finally..."

It was a homemade book, bound by yarn, the cover reading, _The Guy's Guide to Dating a Girl with a Brain by Lane Kim, Rory Gilmore, and Ally Leigh_. Inside was pages describing good dates to go on, the rules for eye contact, and acceptable situations in which a wink is allowed. The book was dedicated to, "The guys who don't need a guide, but insist on following it anyway. To Seth, Ryan, and Jess (even though it isn't his birthday). Love, Lane, Rory, and Ally." All three boys kissed their girlfriends thank you as the book was passed around, laughs being shared.

Rory was now the only one left to give her boyfriend his gift.

"Ok," she breathed, "Now... I suck at this, so, if you hate it... well, then... I really don't know. Just open it." He laughed and pulled her closer to him, ignoring the concerned glare he received from Luke. He opened it up,

"Rory," he gasped. He stared at the gift in shock, "I love it."

"You remember what it is?" He nodded,

"This is the book," he said, holding up a copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_, "that we were reading when I first asked you out," he pulled out a DVD of _Finding Nemo_, "The first movie we saw together," he picked up the CD _Queen Greatest Hits I and II_, "And that was the CD we were listening to the night we first said 'I love you.'" Rory nodded and all of the other women (and Seth) commented,

"Aww!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Your dad was even lightening up on me kissing you there for a second," Ryan commented as he and Rory walked through the halls of Chilton, hand-in-hand, before the start of last period later in the week.

"Yeah, well. What can I say? He romanced my mom. He's got a soft spot." Ryan laughed,

"Hey, how was English today? Did that Tristan guy bother you?" Rory shrugged,

"What can you expect? Everyone picks on me. I'm used to it."

"Oh, Ror..."

"No. This is not a poor me thing. This is the truth. Between Paris, Madeline, Louise, Tristan, and all those other preppies, I'm a target. But I have you and Seth and Jess and that's all I need."

"I wish I could..." Ryan started, grounding his fist into his hand; Rory stopped him,

"No. No you don't. We don't have a rapport here yet. You can't get into trouble because I cannot deal with you leaving me alone in school."

"I thought you said you had Jess and Seth, too." She shrugged again,

"I love them, but I love you in a different way. You're the one who kisses me. I couldn't let you leave." He smiled and kissed her,

"Like that?" She nodded,

"Something like that, yeah."

"Ok. I have to go to the bathroom, and then I'll meet you out front."

"Ok." He walked away, leaving Rory alone to struggle with her locker.

"Hey," said a boy's voice from behind her.

"What, Tristan?"

"I just wanted to say 'happy birthday.'" She decidedly remained focused on her locker,

"It's not my birthday."

"No, but it will be," he held up a small decorated paper and began to read, "'On Friday at 4:03 in the morning, Lorelai Leigh...'" Rory turned to face him at the mention of her name,

"What is that?" she ripped it out of his hands and read silently, _"_Who else got these?"

"I don't know. Everyone in our class, I think."

"I have to go," she slammed her locker shut and began to walk purposefully towards the boys' bathroom.

"I'll see you Friday, birthday girl," Tristan called after her as she walked past a group of girls who whispered,

"That's her."

"My parents are making me go."

"Another obligation party."

"My life stinks." _Yours?_ Rory thought desperately. _My boyfriend's in the bathroom and I'm having a crisis._ She stopped in front of the boys' room and waited half a minute for Ryan to emerge.

"Hey, you didn't have to wait..."

"Did you get this?" she asked, thrusting the invitation into his hand. His eyes widened,

"No. What is this?"

"Apparently, it's an invitation to Rory Danes' birthday party from Hell!"

"Where did you get this?"

"Tristan," she exclaimed.

"Wait... What!"

"Tristan. He walked up to me at my locker, tried to wish me a happy birthday, and I took this from him. Tell me, did you check the mail yesterday?"

"Yeah. I brought it in. I didn't get it." Rory began to breathe heavily,

"Oh my G-d. Ok... Ok, I need to call my grandma," she tried to regain composure, pulling out her small cellphone and dialing with a quivering finger, "I'll figure this out." It rang twice before a maid picked up,

"Gilmore residence."

"Hi, this is Rory Danes. I need to speak to my grandmother, Emily Gilmore, please."

"One moment, please." Rory heard the rustling of the phone passing hands,

"Rory, dear, how are you?"

"I'm fine grandma. Look, I just... this party that you're throwing on Friday..."

"Oh, yes, dear. It's going to be just lovely."

"I'm... I'm sure it is," she stammered, "Grandma, did you invite everyone on the class roster?"

"I believe so, yes."

"Everyone?"

"Everyone who was on my list." She paused for a second,

"So you invited Ryan and Seth Cohen, then?" She heard her grandmother hesitate,

"No, dear. They weren't on my list. I have an old one." Rory sighed,

"But, grandma... You knew they were my friends... You knew I'd want them there."

"Yes, Rory, dear. Thinking back on it now, I do. But..." she seemed to be formulating a story, "in all of the haste to send out the invitations in time, they must've slipped my mind." Rory shuddered,

"Ok, well, just send the boys an invitation. This can be all sorted out."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Rory. I don't think that's possible. You see, we've already told the caterers the number of people we'll be having, and to change it now would be disastrous. Impossible, even."

"Oh... ok, then..." she didn't want to fight with her grandmother, so she merely agreed and said goodbye, turning off the phone and sinking into Ryan's arms, "My birthday's gonna suck."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You should not have to go to school tomorrow," Lane commented as she spoke to Rory on the phone on Thursday night.

"Have to. Latin test."

"Jeez. Every day you guys have a test. When do you have time to learn anything to be tested on?" Lane noted the apparent angst in her best friend's voice, "Are you OK?" Rory paused,

"Yeah, I'm just...I'm getting old, Lane."

"You seem a little quiet tonight."

"I'm just dreading this whole night. I mean, it's bad enough that I have to see these stupid kids from Chilton every day. But tonight? On my birthday? I've never even talked to most of them. I mean, I've only been going to this school for a couple weeks. God, they're gonna think I am the biggest freak and I need my grandma to get people to come to my party. And that my boyfriend isn't even there? I don't know..."

"Well what did Luke and Lorelai say when you told them?" She shook her head vehemently,

"I didn't."

"Why not?"

"My parents are... so against this dinner thing..."

"They tell you that?"

"No, but I can feel it... And, I feel like if my mom and dad knew that my grandma pulled a stunt like this, I wouldn't be allowed to go anymore and Hannah and Josh wouldn't be able to get the chance to get to know them and everything will just get screwed up..." she took a breath, "It's one night, right?"

"Right."

"I can stand it for one night... I hope."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat next to her mother, father, and Jess at her grandparents' house on Friday night. They had left the twins home with Sookie (who was prepared with bandaids and emergency phone numbers (for herself, not Hannah and Joshua)), partially because she had volunteered to Lorelai at work and partially because the Cohens were already busy. Either way, they felt that the twins were in capable (albeit slightly bruised) hands.

"Why is there no beer here?" whined Luke.

"Because this is a fancy party. And because my parents don't believe in beer," Luke grunted in annoyance, "Chill. This is your daughter's birthday party. Now smile and pretend like you're happy to be here." Jess and Rory both spotted a boy, about their age, in a stiff suit, listening on awkwardly and uncomfortably to the conversation between some adults. They met each others' eyes and Rory spoke first,

"Welcome to the world of the rich, famous, and embarrassing."

"Remind me to thank mom and dad for never making me do that."

"Mental note." Emily came running over and grabbed Rory by the arm, pulling her away to meet and greet the other strikingly-similar guests.

After ten excruciating minutes, Emily led Rory into the library, Rory protesting with a,

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Just say hello first. Come on, I'll hold those for you." Two boys in the library turned around to face her, but spoke only to each other,

"Who's that?"

"I think it's her party."

"Oh." They turned their attention away from Rory (Not a moment too soon, according to her), and she spun on her heel to escape, encountering an unpleasant surprise,

"Paris?"

"My parents made me come."

"Oh G-d!"

"Otherwise I wouldn't be here. You believe me, don't you?" She nearly ran away from Paris towards the front door, where she was greeted by Tristan. _G-d, this is like the fun house that Satan makes at the carnival in Hell!_

"Oh, coming to greet me?"

"Hello, Tristan."

"So where's my birthday kiss?" She swiftly pulled away from him,

"It's my birthday."

"So I'll give you a birthday kiss." She pushed him away,

"What is wrong with you?"

"Ok, I gotta tell you something. I'm madly in love with you," he dramatically told her.

"Well, good luck with that."

"I can't eat, I can't sleep...I wake up in the middle of the night calling your name. Rory, Rory!"

"Would you shut up please?" Her grandfather stalked up behind her,

"Rory, who's your friend?"

"I don't know, but this is Tristan."

"Excuse me?"

"Tristan Dugray, sir."

"Dugray? Are you any relation to Janlen Dugray?"

"That's my grandfather, sir."

"Well, I've done business with Janlen for years. He's a fine man."

"That he is."

"Rory, you've got very good taste in friends. I approve." Richard's friend appeared at the door,

"Richard, I've got Dennis on the phone and he heard the same thing I heard."

"Well, one wrong man can always find a friend." The two left, leaving Rory and Tristan alone.

"He likes me."

"He's drunk."

"Let's take a walk," Tristan said, slipping his arm tightly around her waist. As Rory was about to push him off of her yet again, she vaguely heard the front door open behind her.

"Tristan, you..." she started, but was cut off by a familiar voice,

"Rory!" Rory spun around to find Ryan, dressed up in a suit, staring furiously at her and Tristan. She hastily threw Tristan off of her,

"Ry! Ry, this isn't what it looks like!"

"Yeah, well, it looks like you're having a happy birthday!" He turned around and stormed out of the house; she chased after him,

"Ryan! Ryan, stop! Please," she began to cry, "Please let me talk to you!"

"I already know, Rory. There's no need to explain. I came here to surprise you and give you a gift and crash your grandmother's crappy party, and you're with Tristan. You know what? Happy birthday," he said angrily, throwing the gift in his hand on the floor.

"Ry, let me explain!"

"I'll see you later, Rory," he hopped into the car that his father was waiting in; Ryan hadn't given him the signal to go yet.

Rory stood in front of the front door, tears freely spilling over as she shook with sobs, watching her boyfriend drive away in anger. She felt her mother come up behind her,

"Hey, are you ok?" Before she had the chance to turn around and answer, her grandmother stepped up,

"Oh there you are! I think it's time that you said a few words to your guests."

"What?" she choked out.

"Just a little speech to say thank you and tell everyone how it feels to be one year older."

"Mom, I don't think she wants..."

"She's the hostess, Lorelai. This is her responsibility." Rory turned around hastily,

"I am not the hostess! You are!"

"Hey, honey, hold on..." she noted her daughter's tearstained cheeks as she blurted out,

"This is your party and these are your guests and I don't have anything to say to them. My guests are not here right now and the person that I really wanted to be here just left. So you give the speech."

"Rory!" her grandmother exclaimed as Rory turned to her mother,

"Where's daddy and Jess? I want to go home."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat in her room alone for the first time in an hour. They had gotten home at ten at night and her parents and brother had insisted on staying in the room with her to comfort her. When she had finally assured her mother that she was alright, Lorelai left and she turned on her Queen CD, crying into the pillow. She was startled by a knock at the window. She sat up to find Ryan peering hopefully in, one hand behind his back. She carefully scrambled up and pulled the window open,

"Ry! What are you..."

"I came to apologize."

"You came to..."

"I was wrong. I overreacted. I'm sorry." She folded her arms across her chest, glad that the dark hid her tear-stained, blotchy face,

"How did you come to that revelation?" He sighed shyly,

"Seth. I came home and told him the story. He told me I was an idiot. That you love me and not Tristan. That I should trust you, and that you were probably just about to push him off..."

"I was. You had bad timing there, mister."

"I know... I was a jerk... and I'm sorry." She sighed,

"I forgive you."

"Hey," he started shyly, "You still have another," he checked his lit-up watch, "fifty-seven minutes left of your birthday. Care to spend it together?"

"I would love to," She grabbed the as-yet-unopened gift off of her dresser and climbed out of the window after Ryan.

"So, what happened after I left?"

"I screamed at my grandma. Basically told her to shove it. Dad was proud." Ryan looked at her with concern,

"Is that gonna be ok?" She shrugged,

"It should be. I'll call her up and apologize and everything will go back to normal."

"Good... I see you didn't open the present?" She looked away shyly,

"I wanted to open it with you."

"Go ahead." She carefully pulled open the smaller of the two gifts, revealing a charm bracelet,

"Oh, Ryan," she breathed, "it's gorgeous." He pulled it out of her hands,

"This one," he pointed to a charm of a book, "is for your love of reading," he touched a charm of five children, "That's all of us," a charm of two babies, "Hannah and Josh," a heart, "love," a letter "R", "For Ryan and Rory," and a boxing glove, "These are for our world-famous arguments... which was well-documented tonight." She leaned in to kiss him thank you, but he stopped her,

"Open the second one." She pulled out a frame with little boys and girls decorating the edges. She gasped as Ryan explained, "It was at Miss Patty's Halloween party last year. She gave me the picture, but made me promise not to show you yet, because your father would kill her for taking a picture of this instead of stopping it." She laughed and stared at the picture.

Her and Ryan, dressed as Woody and Bo Peep from _Toy Story_, stood together, kissing softly. She remembered Miss Patty taking pictures of everything, but she didn't remember this being taken,

"She took it while we weren't paying attention." She leaned in and kissed him softly, imitating the picture,

"I love you."

"I love you... Happy birthday."

"Thanks." She leaned against his chest as he asked,

"If you're passed out for your party tomorrow, how much are the adults gonna kill us?"

"A lot." He paused,

"Do we care?" She shook her head,

"Not at all."


	21. Revelations

_A/N- I love the fact that I get reviews two weeks after posting. Oh... and I suck because I missed last week. By the end of this weekend, I'll have two posts up. By Monday. Don't be shy and not review both ;) Even though I took forever to update. But keep reviewing._

_A/N 2- Questions! I don't know about Dawn and Trey... this is a happy story... That's a lot of drama... I'll see what I can arrange... Also, I don't know what I'm gonna do about breakups. There **might** be one. But the rest, I like the idea of them being high school sweethearts. There will be more fights in the future, though... The thing about Jess calling Luke and Lorelai "Mom and Dad" doesn't really seem weird to me, if only because he's really not quite the same character. He's lived with Luke and Lorelai for five years. They're the only real parental figures he knows. I feel like it's realistic that he would want to. He's on the right track in this story, rather than like on the show... I really really really didn't mean to make Ryan Dean-ish, and I'm sorry if he seems that way to you. It's just, he's different, too. He's lived a nice life (kinda like Jess), but hopefully he's not like Dean in this chapter... _

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew that the movie in the last chapter was **Monty Python's Life of Brian**. That would be-- Commander Bubbles, CommaSplice, Charlie James, totaltvjunkie, Du Grey, GarniGal (I'm more of a Holy Grail girl, too, but I love them both. I've seen Holy Grail 25+ times.), Fwoukje, controversyqueen, Lonnie, Kate, and **kinda** KatyDid7186... ((Chelsea, what happened!))_

_New Challenge: What movie are they discussing in the first scene of the chapter? Rules have not changed._

_Disclaimer: I own onlythe sunburn I got on my shoulders from camp. Wanna trade, Amy and Josh?_

Revelations

"If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?" Ryan asked, Rory leaning against his chest. She snuggled closer to him and gazed up at the starry late-November sky, pulling her sweatshirt tighter around herself.

"Hawaii," Jess answered definitely from across the circle they'd created as Ally reached for a Pringle from their pile of snacks.

"Why?" Jess opened his mouth to answer, but his sister cut him off,

"If you say 'To get lei'd,' I'm gonna tell mom, and she will mock you for the rest of your life." He closed his mouth again and seemingly reconsidered,

"To enjoy the scenery." Rory laughed,

"Better. But I'm still telling mom. That's worth at least two month's worth of 'smell the roses' jokes."

"I can't win."

"Where do you want to go, Seth?" Seth shrugged noncommittally and pulled Lane closer to him, allowing her body heat to keep him warm,

"Anywhere, as long as I can fly."

"Why?"

"So I can imitate the movie." Everyone except Ally nodded in understanding; she gave him a puzzled look,

"What?" Seth laughed,

"A hospital? What is it?" he hinted. Rory answered, quoting the movie,

"It's a big building with patients in it, but that's not important right now." Three of the other teenagers laughed, though Ally remained perplexed,

"What are you talking about?" Seth gasped,

"You honestly don't know?"

"Surely you can't be serious," Rory continued. Ally shook her head,

"I am serious..." Seth cut her off,

"And don't call me Shirley." Ally giggled nervously, if only to protect herself from ridicule.

"Al, you don't know what they're talking about?" asked Jess, pulling away from her slightly to look her in the eye.

"Not at all." Seth shook his head in disgust,

"Well, that won't do. That won't do at all."

"You'll just have to come over and have a movie day with us during break this week."

"Why?"

"Because it's inexcusable that you don't know what we're talking about."

"I usually don't."

"It's different this time." Ally sighed and looked at Lane pleadingly,

"Help, please?" Lane shook her head,

"Nope. No way. You should know this one. The fact that you don't know 'Captain Oveur, over' makes me sad." Seth smiled proudly and kissed her through her hair,

"That's why I love you." Ally decided to steer away from her lack of movie knowledge,

"So, I assume, if you guys are inviting me over this weekend, you have no Thanksgiving plans." Seth shook his head,

"No, we do. Our Aunt Hailey is coming to visit. And Lane is coming to Thanksgiving lunch... I think?" She nodded and he relaxed, Rory adding,

"And my aunt Liz is coming into town for Thanksgiving," she noticed Jess tense up, but chose to move past it, "She hasn't really seen Hannah and Joshy yet."

"What are you all doing for dinner?"

"We're all eating together. You're welcome to come if you want." She shrugged,

"I'll check with my mom." There was silence for a moment before Ryan spoke up,

"Anyone have the time?" Rory pulled out her cellphone,

"11:33."

"And seventeen seconds," Seth mocked.

"I like punctuality, Seth."

"It's too precise."

"Not for me."

"There is no parking in a white zone." Rory laughed; her parents often marveled at the way she and Seth could verbally spar without batting an eye. All of their arguments were in good humor; she hadn't ever fought with her friends to the point where it was true anger that lasted for more than twenty-four hours.

"We should probably go in," Lane mentioned, yawning; she was sleeping over at Rory's house.

"Yeah. It's getting late." Rory giggled and went in for one last movie quote,

"Besides, the fog is getting thicker." Everyone else (with the exception of Ally) answered,

"And Leon's getting laaaarger!" Ally shook her head,

"I wish I knew what you were talking about an eighth of the time."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory rocked gently with her sister on the bench in the enclosed porch that her father had added before the twins were born. Hannah sucked on a bottle that Lorelai had prepared; their mother was upstairs getting ready for Thanksgiving. As she showered and got dressed, Luke had instructed Rory to keep an eye on the food; he didn't trust Lorelai, and even though Rory hadn't inherited any cooking premise from watching him cook over the years, he still trusted her more than his wife.

"Where's dad?" asked Jess, plopping down on the rocking chair next to the girls.

"Picking Liz up from the bus stop."

"You didn't go with him?"

"I volunteered to keep an eye on Hannah."

"Because Josh is quite competent enough to take care of himself?"

"No, smartass. Because Josh just fell asleep and he's like mom. He'll sleep for hours on end, given the chance," Jess sighed and Rory noted his apparent angst, "Hey, you ok?" He shrugged,

"Yes and no."

"What's wrong?" she asked, shifting Hannah (who was quickly becoming a doppelganger of her older sister) to burp on the rag on Rory's shoulder.

"It's confusing for me," he admitted, "I mean, Liz is my mother. Technically, legally, she has the right to sign the 'mother' dotted line. But emotionally? She's not my mom. She's one of the other million people who gave up on me before Luke and Lorelai. They're my parents. I never know what to do when Liz is here. Do I act normally around mom and dad? Can I act normally around you and Hannah and Joshy? Can I say, 'There's my baby brother' when I see him? It's a weird situation. Plus, she said she has some 'big news to announce'. That never ends well." Rory nodded understandingly and smiled up at him,

"It'll be fine. If all else fails, use first names for everyone. Mom and dad understand. They even encourage it. They don't want to hurt Liz's feelings."

"Because she's so considerate of everyone else's feelings?" he asked sarcastically.

"Jess," she scolded softly.

"It's fine," he sighed, leaning back on the comfortable chair, "I just need some time to think."

"K," As if on cue, she heard her name being called from next door. She whipped her head around to find Ryan standing in his backyard waving feverishly, "I'm gonna go visit Ryan."

"You want me to take Hannie?"

"No. You need to think. She's all bundled. She can come for a walk."

"Ok," he shrugged, "Be back by the time Hell visits the Danes' home."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she called back to him as she strode towards her boyfriend.

"Hey," Ryan greeted, kissing Rory gently on the lips.

"Hey."

"What's going on over there?"

"Jess is being a drama queen. He'll be fine. No worries. How's it going here?"

"Not terrible. Lane's met Aunt Hailey."

"Think she'll stick around for much longer?"

"Lane or Aunt Hailey?"

"Take your pick."

"Yes to Lane."

"No to Aunt Hailey?"

"Aunt Hailey never stays in one place for long."

"She'd get along well with Aunt Liz."

"Probably will." Rory sniffed at the air,

"What's cooking?"

"Mashed potatoes. Some brisket. A bit of corn." She eyed Ryan skeptically,

"Which parent is wearing the 'Kiss the Cook' apron and matching oven mitts?"

"Dad. At your house?"

"Please. Mom's not allowed within forty feet of the turkey. Daddy's orders." Hannah began to fuss in her arms and she held her out to Ryan, "Hold her, please."

"I don't know, Ror..."

"She's not gonna bite, and you've held her before."

"With parents present."

"It'll be fine. I'm here. Just let me pull the binky out of my pocket."

"Ew," Ryan commented as Rory thrust Hannah into his arms. She pulled out a plastic baggie with a small lavender pacifier thrown haphazardly into it,

"It's clean and covered. I know what to put in my sister's mouth, thank you very much," Ryan raised his eyebrows, "Ok, that came out wrong. But you know what I mean."

"Sadly, I do."

"So, what did your mom buy for dessert for tonight?" Ryan shook his head,

"Something that looks nice." Rory groaned,

"If it looks good, it won't taste good."

"I know. We were together when we decided that... Hey, is Ally coming tonight? Did Jess tell you?" Rory shook her head,

"Her mom wanted her home for Thanksgiving dinner. She's coming over tomorrow."

They both turned their heads when they heard Rory's name being called.

"Rory! Ror!" her mother yelled across the backyard, her wet hair up in a towel, "There's a whole bunch of bells and whistles going off and I don't know what any of them are and the Thanksgiving day food restraining order prevents me from going near any of them!"

"It's the timer, mom! Just turn it off and turn off the oven!" Lorelai nodded confidently and disappeared into the kitchen, reappearing only two seconds later,

"How, exactly, would I do that?" Rory sighed and turned to Ryan,

"Watch her for a sec?"

"Me?... uh... uh... her?... Just... me and Hannah?" Rory nodded,

"I'll be back in five minutes. Just take her inside. If you lay out a blanket, you can put her on the floor."

"But, uh..."

"I'll be right back." She kissed him lightly and ran off towards her house. Ryan sighed and looked down into Hannah's hopeful blue eyes,

"Your sister's a nutjob," Hannah fussed a little bit and Ryan nodded, "No smile? No laugh? No acknowledgment? Babies don't know humor when they see it." He turned inside and wandered into the den, slowly sitting on the couch, making sure not to jostle the baby. He sat and bounced her gently, but was startled when a woman's voice spoke directly next to his ear,

"Who's the kid?" Ryan's head whipped around,

"Aunt Hailey! Geez, I feel like I just ate a cow."

"What?"

"It's Seth's way of saying that I had a heart attack. I really need to stop hanging out with him so much."

"He's rubbing off on you," she said as she sat next to him on the couch, "Again-Who's the kid?" Ryan pointed up at the picture of himself, Seth, Lane, Rory, Jess, and the twins on the mantle,

"My girlfriend's baby sister." Hailey smiled at the baby and held out her arms for Ryan to pass her,

"What's her name?"

"My girlfriend? Rory," he answered, deciding whether or not to pass the baby to his aunt.

"I meant the baby."

"Oh. The baby? She's Hannah."

"Hi Hannah," Hailey cooed, "You're a cutie. Yes, you are," she looked up at Ryan, "Ry, let me hold her." He strained,

"Uhhh..."

"You don't trust me?"

"Not my baby to loan out."

"Will you stop? You're not loaning her out. You're letting me hold her."

"But Rory said..." he tried to remember what Rory said; none of it included his aunt not being allowed to hold the baby.

"Just give her to me."

"Aunt Hailey..."

"Nephew Ryan..." He glared at her, deciding what to do. After a momentary staredown, he gave in,

"Ok. Just support her head." Just as Hailey took Hannah from Ryan's arms, the back door opened,

"Ry?" Rory entered the living room to find Hannah being passed from Ryan to Hailey, "Ryan! You couldn't hold her for five minutes? You were that afraid of a five-week-old?" Hailey giggled,

"Yeah, Ryan. You were scared she was gonna gum you to death?" Ryan, flustered, stammered again,

"But... Rory... Hannah... Hailey... uhh... want... hold..." Hailey used on hand to smack Ryan on the arm,

"Breathe, boy," she turned to Rory, "I wanted to hold her, so Ryan was kind enough to let me."

"Oh, ok... I assume that you're Aunt Hailey?" She nodded,

"The one and only. My guess is that you're Rory?"

"Yeah. It's nice to meet you," she reached forward to take Hannah, "I actually have to get home."

"Lorelai tried to cook?" Ryan regained his voice, standing up from the couch.

"No. She tried to open a can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. Never have I seen such a mess."

"Didn't realize that they have the new easy-open tabs?" Rory shook her head,

"What's weird is that my mom is so smart when it comes to everything but cooking. In the kitchen, she just goes Seth at softball." Hailey's eyes narrowed,

"Seth at softball?"

"It's our way of saying that you act like you've been hit in the head one too many times by a ball. You act stupid."

"Yeah," Rory added, taking Hannah, "And I have to go home before Jess has a nervous breakdown from mom trying to open the canned peas in the shelf. Could be a massacre," She shifted the baby in her arms and shook Hailey's hand quickly, holding Hannah to her body, "Nice to meet you, Hailey. I'll see you at dinner tonight," Hailey nodded, and Rory moved to Ryan, "I'll see you later," she said, kissing him goodbye before she heard both her mother's and brother's screams from next door, "Gotta go." She bolted out the door, careful not to jostle her sister. Ryan collapsed back onto the couch, Hailey sitting next to him,

"So... that's Rory?"

"That's Rory."

"She seems nice."

"She's great."

"How many brothers and sisters does she have?" Hailey asked; she had been intrigued as soon as Rory had mentioned Jess earlier in the conversation.

"Three. Jess is two months older than we are, and Hannah and Josh, the twins..." Hailey cut him off,

"Twins? There's two babies?"

"Yeah. Josh was probably sleeping, though. He and Hannah are about a month now." Hailey nodded,

"Wow. She's from a big family." Ryan shrugged,

"They're a package deal." Hailey smiled at her nephew,

"You ready for that?" she asked, winking and walking away, leaving Ryan utterly perplexed on the couch.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth and Lane sat on the floor in his bedroom, fingers interlaced.

"So, what do you think of Aunt Hailey?" Seth asked.

"She seems nice. A bit eclectic and crazy, but nice." Seth laughed,

"That's Aunt Hailey to a T. We always get in trouble with her here."

"Doesn't bother you?"

"Nope. It's too much fun to bother me..." They were silent for a second before Seth asked, "What do you think Liz's surprise is?" Lane stared intently at the floor,

"No idea. It worries me, though. Remember the last time she brought a surprise?"

"Oh, right. Her new boyfriend." They'd all met Liz a few times, and eaten dinner with her most of the times she'd been in town.

"Alan. The guy was a jerk. No table manners. No manners. Kept staring at Lorelai the whole night. Kept referring to Jess as 'the kid'. Told Rory that she'd make a great dancer when she grew up. He was creepy."

"Luke threw him out..." Seth mentioned.

"Still. It's probably not a good surprise." Seth shook his head and leaned in to kiss her,

"It'll be fine. You worry too much."

"You don't worry enough."

"It's why we balance out so perfectly."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"They're here!" Lorelai called from the den, Joshua sucking intently on a pacifier in her arms. Rory emerged from her bedroom, and Jess from his. Jess picked Hannah up from her swing and nestled her in his arms, planting a kiss on her forehead,

"Keep me sane here, kiddo." Rory opened the front door to find her father and aunt stepping out of her father's truck. Liz smiled up at her,

"Rory!" Liz ran up the stairs and threw her arms around her niece, "Look how big you've gotten!"

"I know! We're having them all studied at the clinic downtown. They're all freakishly huge." Liz laughed,

"Are those the twinnies?" Luke cringed,

"Please, for the love of all that is holy, don't call them that." Liz shook off the comment,

"This is Josh?" She asked, tickling the baby in Lorelai's arms.

"No. That's Hannah. We dress her in blue sports clothes because we want her to know an open lifestyle," Jess muttered under his breath. Everyone heard; Rory and Lorelai stifled giggles, Liz ignored it, and Luke glared at his eldest.

"Hey, Jess," Liz muttered, meeting his eyes.  
"Hey, Liz..." Their eyes remained locked and no one said a word for another moment, before Liz announced quietly,

"I brought a surprise. I'll show you later, though." She patted her purse to reassure herself and Luke pushed her gently through the door,

"C'mon. Dinner should be ready shortly."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Cohen and Danes families (along with their guests) sat around the dining table in the Danes' living room. They fit comfortably, Luke and Sandy at either head of the table, each doling out a certain food to their families.

"So, guys, what's your new school like?" Hailey asked the teenagers, all of whom glanced at each other, silently nominating Ryan to be the spokesman,

"It's alright. Some of the kids are terrible, and I look weird in the uniform..." Rory cut him off,

"I second that." He forged on,

"But the school itself isn't bad. It's challenging. We all work together, though. We pull through." He pulled Rory closer to himself and kissed her temple. Hailey looked to the end of the table and leaned over to her nephew,

"Ry, you're getting the death glare." Ryan looked up,

"Oh, Luke? I get that sometimes. He's protective of Rory, is all," He looked up at Luke, "Luke," he nodded, smiling.

"Ryan," Luke nodded back. Sandy shook his head, laughing; he knew that Luke had nothing against his son; he was just protective of Rory. They actually got along really well if the girls were out and they were having a guy's day.

"So, Rory, Jess, what's it like having the twins around all the time?" asked Liz, digging into her turkey.

"It's stressful. They cry a lot. They're always hungry and spitting up. But they're a lot of fun. I love shopping for clothes for them and playing with them. Jess loves to hold them." Liz looked to Jess, who only shrugged, keeping his eyes on his plate. He hadn't said much all night- only a few 'pleases' and 'thank yous' when given his food. Soon, Joshua's cries came through the baby monitor. Lorelai looked up from the corn she was passing out,

"Jess, honey, could you go get him?" It would be good to show Liz how he was with the twins.

"Yeah, mom," he let slip. He threw his hand over his mouth, "I'm sorry," he apologized to Liz. She shook her head and stuttered,

"No, no. It's ok... I understand... It's fine." _Makes what I'm gonna do make that much more sense._ He smiled graciously at her and ran upstairs to Josh.

"Hey, buddy," he said quietly, careful not to wake his sister, "What's the matter?" he turned down the baby monitor and rocked his brother as he calmed down, "You know, pal, everyone's downstairs eating. I got sent up to get you. Not that I mind. I ate all my turkey. Next year, you'll be ready to eat Thanksgiving dinner with us. But, for now, you can't chew turkey with those gums," he told him, tickling the baby's stomach, smiling at him. Jess was taken aback as Josh's tiny mouth twisted into a smile. Jess gasped; neither twin had ever smiled before, "Josh... are you... did you... You can't answer me... MOM! DAD!" Within ten seconds, most of the party was bounding up the stairs.

"Jess, honey, what's going on?" Lorelai asked, pushing into the room.

"Josh! He just smiled!"

"He just what!" Lorelai motioned for her eldest son to hand her her youngest, and she bounced him gently, "Joshy boy, did you smile? C'mon, baby, smile for mommy." Luke gently pushed Joshua's few wispy strands of hair away from his face,

"C'mon, buddy. Mommy and daddy need a smile, pal."

"Dad?" Rory called; Luke looked up just as Rory smiled at him.

"Funny," he said sarcastically.

"I thought so."

"He's not smiling," Lorelai whined, "Jess, what did you do?" She handed the baby back to Jess, who bounced the baby a little and tickled his stomach again, producing another smile.

"Awwww," everyone cooed together.

"That's so cool," Liz commented.

"Very," agreed Hailey. Jess passed the baby back to Lorelai and smiled down at him. Liz, breathing heavily, seemingly worked up the courage to do something she'd been waiting to do,

"While we're all together up here... I have an announcement to make."

"The surprise?" asked Jess quietly.

"Yeah. Everybody c'mere." They obeyed, leaning against the wall and turning to face Liz.

"What's up?" asked Luke, lifting Hannah from her crib.

"Well, the surprise is... mostly for Jess. But it's for you guys, too. Now... Jess, you've been living here for..."

"Five years," he answered hastily, glancing at Rory.

"Right. You've been living with Luke and Lorelai for five years. You've done great. You've managed to stay out of any real trouble. You're in an expensive school that you're doing great in. You know how to take care of people. And it's all thanks to Luke and Lorelai," Luke and Lorelai blushed, "I know you call Luke and Lorelai 'mom and dad' sometimes. It doesn't bother me," Jess restrained himself from blurting out _Most of the time_. His parents wouldn't approve, "in fact, it makes me happy. Jess..." she pulled out an envelope from her purse, "These are for you."

"What is this?" he breathed, ripping gently at the corners of the small white envelope.

"It's adoption papers," she blurted, "They're all signed and everything. I checked with my lawyer. It's all done. You guys just need to sign," Luke grabbed the papers from Jess' hands. Before anyone could say anything, Liz added, "Don't worry about school. I'll still pay for Jess' tuition. It's the least I can do. So... what do you think?" Jess looked from his parents to Liz and back again. Wordlessly, he stood up and pushed past the others in the room out the door.

They all stood in shock as they heard the front door open and shut downstairs.

"Did I do something wrong?" Liz asked.

"No. He needs some time to think," Lorelai answered.

"Mom, do you want us to go find him?" Rory asked, standing up and anxiously glancing at the nursery door.

"No. Give him time to cool off. Take your brother, though. Daddy and I will go find him in a little while." She nodded and took Josh.

"Lane," Luke nodded at Hannah, resting comfortably in his arms. She nodded back and took the baby, following Rory out of the room. Everyone except Liz took the hint and followed the two girls downstairs; Liz stayed back to talk to Luke and Lorelai,

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. He gets this way sometimes. He'll get mad and not tell anyone why."

"Shouldn't we go find him?" Luke shook his head,

"He always goes to the same place when he acts like this. We know where he is."

"Hey... you guys are ok with this, right?" Luke smiled,

"He's been living with us since he was ten. He and Rory call each other brother and sister. You're helping us by doing this."

"You're helping him, too. Right now, he's confused. But, honestly, he's been walking that fine line between son and nephew, and this is going to make it far less confusing."

"Ok... Maybe you should go find him now?"

"A few more minutes. Go have something to eat. We'll go get him when he's ready."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess sat crosslegged on the floor of the Cohens' finished basement. The first time he had run away, he ran here because he assumed that no one could find him. He knew where they kept their spare key, utilized it, and hid in the back corner of the basement, lights off, believing that no one would think to look for him there. Unfortunately for him, they had thought to look there before anyone else. Now, when he ran away or even just needed to think, he would come here, knowing that his parents would come find him when they knew he was ready.

After twenty minutes of sitting there, he heard the basement door open. Without saying anything, Luke and Lorelai came and found him in his designated corner and sat down in front of him,

"Care to talk?" Jess shrugged,

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You have every right to need to think. You worried Liz, though."

"Not you?"

"We knew where you went."

"We knew you were fine."

"Well... we thought you were fine. Are you?" Jess shrugged again,

"Yeah. I was just... shocked, I guess... I wasn't expecting it... It's like... she already gave up on me once. She's gonna give up on me completely now?"

"Oh, sweetheart, Liz isn't giving up on you."

"No, Jess, she's not! She wants you to have a full family."

"I do."

"Look, Jess, if you don't want to do the adoption, that's fine. We'll love you just as much as we always have."

"Liz just thought the adoption might... I don't know, make things easier for you. Not so confusing. But, if you like it like this, it's fine." Jess shook his head,

"No. I do." Lorelai smiled and pulled him to her,

"Good. Because we do, too."

"Mom?" he said tentatively.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Cutting... off... circulation," he choked out. Lorelai let go,

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok... look... can we just... do this slow? Gimme time to get used to the concept?" Luke nodded,

"Of course."

"Thanks."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The six best friends sat around in front of the Cohens' house in the dark cool of the December night, wrapped in blankets and winter coats.

"So, I got an A on my test and Paris got an A-, so she walks over and starts comparing papers, going 'Well, it's obvious you had the answers in your shoe or something.'," Rory laughed, "I just walked away. It's too difficult to deal with her."

"It's too difficult to deal with a lot of teenagers."

"Do you think we're difficult to deal with?" Lane pondered. Seth shook his head,

"We're angels. We're awesome. We're every parent's dream child. Well, except for Ryan." Ryan threw a chip at his brother,

"I'm mom's favorite."

"You wish." Rory cleared her throat,

"Get over it. Your mom likes me the best." Everyone laughed and agreed, and Jess began coughing,

"I'm getting sick."

"Why do you think that is?"

"Maybe because we sit out here once a week in the freezing cold?"

"It's fun. It helps us keep in touch."

"Why else?" Ryan shrugged,

"Either because we like being together..." Seth finished his sentence,

"Or because we're just that stupid." Rory and Lane looked at each other,

"Definitely both."


	22. Nowhere to Go

_A/N- Reviews may replace oxygen for me. Though, that might be a little drastic. Still, I need more suggestions._

_A/N 2- Questions! I don't know about Summer and Marissa. I've been toying with the idea, and it's a definite possibility. Keep your eyes open... I'm gonna repeat this for the people who reviewed that it's not believable- this is a different story than the show. Different characters, different situations. But, also, I'm setting up for something here. The adoption will go through, but I'm setting up for some drama here. Again, keep your eyes open. Not quite yet, but soon... I will have the dance, but it probably won't go exactly the way the one on the show did. Probably similar, though... The rules for guessing are posted in the chapter when Lorelai finds out she's pregant. I think that one's Life Changes. Or Beginnings. Whichever came first... The movies are just my favorites. I have a few lined up for the next few chapters... K that was a lot this time._

_A/N 3- NOTE! NOTE! Please be sure that you've read the chapter before this. This story has been updated twice in one weekend._

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew that the movie in the last chapter was **Airplane!** That would be: Lonnie, Chelsea (You're back! Yay!), Kate, Beatlechicksteph, Du Grey, Dewster, Pepper, Bubbles, andGiraffe. I love that freakin' movie!_

_New Challenge: Ok, this one's ridiculously easy, so don't be ashamed to guess. You'll probably get it right. I wasn't even really trying thistime. What movie is Rory watching in the first scene? Same rules as always apply._

_Disclaimer: I'm too tired to own anything._

Nowhere to Go

Rory sat on the couch in her den, an Afghan knitted by her mother draped over her small body. She resisted the urge to say the lines along with the movie she was watching, but left well-enough alone and settled for only watching.

_"Who's that then?" _

_"I dunno, must be a king."_

_"Why?"_

_"He hasn't got shit all over him."_ She began to laugh, but was distracted as Lorelai ran frantically into the room.

Rory watched her mother curiously as she leapt to the window and yanked it open.

"Hey!" Rory protested, "It's cold out!"

"It smells like snow." Rory shook her head,

"I know it does. You've already said that three times today. Doesn't mean we should freeze."

"Just for a little while. Scooch," she shooed her daughter down the couch and Rory offered her half of the afghan. They sat together, shivering from happiness about the snow and chilliness from the cold December air.

"Mom, this can't be good for the twins."

"They're upstairs, asleep in the nursery with the heat turned on. They're in no danger. Trust me."

"Well, then, this can't be good for me. I'm freezing. Why won't you close it?"

"Because I'm the mommy. I hold power here. Just smell the snow."

"You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you," Rory joked. Lorelai laughed,

"Oh, you're watching this again."

"Of course." Lorelai pulled her daughter close to her,

"I love this time of year."

"I know you do," Rory breathed; now was as good a time as ever to bring it up, "Mom, I need to talk to you about something."

"Uh-oh. What's up with the puppy-dog look?" Rory shook her head,

"Grandma and Grandpa..." Lorelai cut her off,

"Never has a good conversation in the Danes' household started with those words."

"Mom... Grandma and Grandpa asked me to bring Hannah and Joshy to dinner on Friday." Lorelai laughed maniacally,

"Hannah and Joshy? Why are we subjecting them to this?"

"Mom..." Lorelai interrupted her again,

"This is your thing. Why are they trying to make you bring your brother and sister? Corrupt them while they're young? You're practically grown. They can't change you now. But Joshy could be that perfect Yale man with a curly mustache and those weird pantaloon things. And Hannie could be the perfect little lady in pink lacy gowns curtsying at age two while asking about the boost in the economy..." Rory knew that the rant wasn't directed at her; she was going to attempt to make her mother see reason. The best way to do that was to first bring her back to the movie,

"Look, Alice..."

"Herbert," Lorelai answered immediately.

"Right, Herbert..." They each glanced back at the tv before Rory continued, "They're their grandchildren, mom. They missed out on the early years with me. They don't wanna go through that with Josh and Hannah. It'll just be one night. We can dress Hannie up in a cute little pink dress and dress Joshy up like a groom. C'mon. It'll be fun getting them in those cute little outfits." Lorelai sighed, resigned,

"Can I dress Josh up like daddy?" Rory shrugged,

"I'm not sure how good of an idea that is, but if you really want to, it's ok. I think Grandma just wants to see him." Lorelai sighed,

"Fine."

"Thank you." Lorelai stuck her tongue out playfully,

"Yeah, well, I fart in your general direction!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that week, Lorelai and Rory met the Cohens out front of their house and began to walk towards Miss Patty's dance studio for the town meeting.

"Where's Luke?" asked Sandy, closing the front door behind him.

"He's cleaning a few things up at the diner so he can leave it with Caesar while he goes to the town meeting."

"And Jess?" asked Seth, zipping up his coat.

"He volunteered to stay home with the twins. Said he has a test to study for tomorrow anyway." Kirsten eyed Seth curiously,

"Seth, don't you and Jess have practically the same schedule?"

"Close. I don't have any _major _tests tomorrow."

"Any _major_ tests?" she repeated, "Well, do you have any minor tests tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah. Six," his mother glared at him furiously, "Kidding, mom. Kidding."

"You'd better be. You worked hard to get into that school," the boys imitated her behind her back, "Don't mess it up."

Five minutes later, they arrived at the town meeting, late, of course.

"Well, the Cohen and Danes families are here. Now we can start," Taylor announced sarcastically from his perch on the podium.

"Aww, that's sweet, Taylor. Thanks for thinking of us." He shook his head and scratched at his beard,

"Lorelai, what kind of message are you teaching your children, coming late to every town event?" Lorelai shrugged and threw her arm around Rory,

"That we're worth waiting for." Taylor sighed,

"Honestly, Lorelai. Just take a seat."

"Yessir," she saluted jokingly, taking a seat towards the back of the room, near Lane. She scanned the room for her husband as everyone sat next to her.

"Where's dad?" asked Rory, following her mother's lead.

"Maybe he's late?" Ryan suggested; Rory shot him a skeptical glance,

"And maybe Hell just stood up and said 'Huh, I'm sick of being hot. I wonder what it's like to be a tundra. Maybe I'll transform.'"

"Got it. It's not likely that Luke's late."

"No," she shook her head. The mayor, standing next to Taylor, forged on about leash laws, but no one paid any attention until the mayor mentioned,

"This coming Friday is the anniversary of the legendary Battle of Stars Hollow." Everyone applauded, but Rory, Lorelai, and the Cohens began to look more frantically for Luke.

"Do you see him?" whispered Lorelai. Ryan pointed up towards the third row,

"Up there."

"Penny will be circulating a sign up sheet for those of you who would like to participate in the reenactment of foresaid battle," the mayor babbled. Rory watched her father in amusement; one of her earliest childhood memories were Luke's yearly blowups about the Battle of Stars Hollow,

"He's turning red."

"He's so sexy when he does that," Lorelai joked.

"All right. It was a frigid November night, some 224 years ago." They all watched the pained look on Luke's face from the side as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The mayor continued, "The brave Stars Hollow militia stood in wait for the Red Coats."

"He's adjusting the cap," Rory subconsciously moved her hand to her head, unwittingly adjusting an imaginary cap on her head.

"That reminds me," Lorelai leaned to her daughter, "I need to get Daddy a new hat. Next time we go shopping." Rory nodded and the mayor kept talking, though very few people were actually listening; most people were focused on Luke's strenuous attempts to prevent himself from interrupting, "Tired and hungry, twelve proud men took their positions in the town's square, braving the elements..."

"He's got that look on his face. Like when you wanted to have a sleepover in the diner and he said no, but you puppy-dog-eyed him and he gave in." Rory nodded.

"That ended with the entire diner covered in cherry pie," Kirsten remembered.

"My money's betting that there will be cherry pie all over the place by the time this is over."

"Last year it was pudding." Ryan leaned over and laughed,

"Not that that was Luke's fault," he glanced pointedly at Lorelai, who held up her hands defensively,

"Hey, the pudding was there and I just assumed it had a purpose."

"...and imminent death in their valiant efforts..."

"Oh, for G-d's Sake, do we have to go through this every damn year!" Everyone turned to face Luke, who had finally exploded.

"Yes!" Lorelai celebrated, "Someone's gonna be great entertainment tonight!"

"Daddy can never resist the urge," Rory laughed.

"I thought we were here to discuss town issues. I don't bring my kids here so they can listen to you drone on about something completely stupid and unimportant!"

"This is a town issue," defended Taylor.

"Excuse me, who's talking?"

"It's me, Harry, Luke. You've known me since I was 5 years old. You've known my kids since they were born."

"Oh, Luke, yes. Sit down. Now as I was saying, twelve heroic men assembled with guns drawn ready to meet their maker." Luke cut him off,

"What are you talking about? Twelve guys stood in a row all night."

"Waiting for the Red Coats."

"Who never showed!"

"Now just a minute!"

"Twelve guys stood in a row all night waiting for an enemy that never showed. They got stood up. They should've been wearing prom dresses. It's my daughter's worst nightmare!"

"I've had just about enough of this," Taylor blurted.

"Sit down, Taylor."

"Menace."

"Suck-up."

"Five bucks says your father puts Taylor in a headlock."

"That's not even a fair bet. You know he will." Rory was brought back to the argument by Luke's voice,

"Have any of you ever considered the fact that you're glorifying a war we fought so we could keep land that we stole?"

"If you don't like it here in America, why don't you go stand in line for toilet paper in the USSR!"

"There is no more USSR," Rory whispered to her mother.

"There is no more USSR, Harry," Luke said to the mayor.

"So much like your father it's scaaaary..." Lorelai said in a sing-song voice. They watched Luke argue with Taylor and Harry for another five minutes before the meeting was adjourned, and Luke stomped towards the back of the room, finding his family and friends waiting for him. He looked at his daughter and her friends,

"Remember the time that Taylor asked you guys if you wanted to be the narrators?" they all nodded, "Did I ever tell you why I don't want you guys to do it?" Rory shook her head and Seth jumped excitedly,

"Tell us! Tell us!"

"Down, boy," instructed Ryan, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Why?" asked Sandy; he was against his children participating, also, but he always assumed Luke had a more valid reason than "This is ridiculous. My boys can't participate in something so inane." Luke sighed and wrapped his arm around Rory,

"Your grandfather used to make me do this. When I was a little kid. I was always the one with the most lines, and Lizzie was always the girl."

"Who was the second boy?" Luke shook his head in disbelief,

"When we were younger, it was Andrew. Then, we got older, and it was..." he paused for a second, "Could you imagine Kirk dressed in period costume?" Sandy nodded,

"Sadly, yes."

"Daddy, don't you have that pic..." Luke cut her off,

"Where did you find that?"

"Back of your closet. Remember when I was looking for shoeboxes for my school project a few years back, and mom told me to look in there? You had a whole shoebox of pictures. I just sat there and looked through them." Luke raised his eyebrows,

"You kept a secret all this time?"

"Didn't know it was a secret. Just looked like a picture of some kids dressed up in stupid clothes to me."

"It was. I hated doing it. It was so embarrassing."

"Why did you do it?" Luke shrugged,

"My dad liked doing it, and I wanted to make him happy, so I never fought him on it." Everyone nodded, understanding. As they began the walk home, Luke offered, "Anybody hungry?" Rory and Lorelai nodded enthusiastically; the Cohens shrugged,

"Sure." They redirected themselves and walked towards the diner.

"Ror, you're going to your grandparents' tomorrow, right?" asked Ryan, sidling up next to his girlfriend. Rory snuck a glance at her mother,

"Yeah... Daddy?"

"What's up?" She inhaled; she wasn't quite sure what his reaction was going to be,

"I'm... Grandma and Grandpa... tomorrow..." she stuttered. Luke looked at Lorelai,

"Do I wanna know?"

"Grandma and Grandpa want me to bring Hannah and Josh to dinner tomorrow night," she held her hands up as if to shield herself, but her father surprised her by shrugging,

"Ok." She narrowed her eyes and stared him down,

"Ok?"

"Yeah. Ok."

"I'm... um... I'm gonna take them early. That way we can be in and out, and Grandma wants to spend time with them. I'm gonna get right home and just get changed and then I'm gonna go. Take them."

"Just make sure that you give Josh his medicine before you go. He's been coughing a bit lately." Rory, perplexed, decided not to push her luck,

"Ok, daddy... Umm... Thanks," she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, scurrying away before he could comprehend what she had asked. Lorelai leaned over,

"Hi, you have to fill me in on exactly why you gave into subjecting our babies to that so easily." Luke whispered into his wife's ear,

"Jess is going out with Seth and Ryan tomorrow night. If Rory takes the twins, we have the house to ourselves." Lorelai, smiling broadly, kissed him quickly,

"Smart man. I knew I married you for a reason." He shrugged,

"Someone had to think ahead."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"It's Friday," muttered Seth.

"It's Friday," repeated Jess.

"It's Friday," sighed Ryan, "and we're pathetically sitting at home."

"By ourselves."

"Why again?" Jess sat up from his space on the floor of Ryan's bedroom,

"Because my girlfriend has her cousins over, your girlfriend," he pointed to Ryan, "has gone to her grandparents' house, and your girlfriend," he pointed at Seth, "has an insane evangelical mother who won't let her out of the house without my mom taking her by the hand." Seth shrugged,

"I love Lane, though. Never promised to love her mother."

"So what should we do tonight?" All three boys sat and pondered before Ryan spoke up,

"Miss Patty's having that stand-up show tonight. We could head over there." Jess nodded,

"Not a bad idea."

"Doesn't start until seven, though."

"So?" Jess stood up, "That's never stopped us before. Let's head into town now, grab some snacks, go into the studio, and get the best seats."

"We have nothing better to do."

"Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emily picked up the phone and dialed her daughter. Michel answered the phone, and then handed it to Lorelai. She heard her daughter mumble something about rain coming and the rustling of the phone passing hands as Lorelai picked up,

"Hello?"

"Hello, Lorelai, it's your mother."

"Which one?"

"Lorelai," she instantly grew frustrated.

"No, I'm Lorelai."

"Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, you know perfectly well who this is."

"Ohhh. My _mother_. Yes, yes, I remember you now. How are you?"

"Lorelai, I don't have time for your games right now. There's a terrible snowstorm down here and it's heading your way."

"I think it's actually just about here, mom."

"Ok, well, tell Rory to stay home tonight. I don't want her driving in this weather."

"You know, I would, mom, but Rory left over a half hour ago."

"She what?"

"Yeah. She came home from school, grabbed the twins and their stuff, and hightailed out of here before I could ask her how to spell 'hippopotamus'."

"Why did you need to know that?"

"I have my reasons." Emily sighed,

"Alright, well, I suppose it's safer for her to finish the drive here than to turn around and spend another half hour on the road. She's probably nearly here."

"Ok."

"And you know, the children should probably spend the night tonight also." Lorelai, though she hated to admit it, knew her mother was right on this issue; she didn't want three of her children on the road in this weather,

"Ok."

"And if it's still bad tomorrow..."

"Mom, why don't you wait and see what the weather does before you fill out a change of address card for them." Just then, Rory, carrying two carseats, entered the living room,

"Hey, Grandma."

"Rory's here." Lorelai furrowed her brow,

"Please say that she has the twins."

"Of course she has Hannah and Joshua, Lorelai. What on earth made you think she didn't?"

"You just didn't... you need to... Put her on a sec."

"Rory or Hannah?"

"Mom!"

"Sorry. Just trying to see what it's like having your sense of humor," Emily handed the phone to Rory, who gently put the carseats, both covered in blankets, on the coffee table, "Rory, it's your mother." Rory nodded and picked up the phone, watching her grandmother pretend not to mind the possible scratches that the babies' seats could make,

"Hey."

"Hi. Things bad out there, huh?"

"It's crazy. There's snow coming down everywhere, and let me just tell you, saddle shoes are not the best all-weather footwear. Especially when you're carrying an extra twenty pounds of fussy weight."

"Aw, the twins aren't cooperating?"

"If you call Hannah needing two diaper changes and Josh spitting out his pacifier and screaming his head off the entire drive over not cooperating."

"Yikes. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Have them one at a time next time."

"I promise that I'll try."

"Ok. Thanks... Well, we can take our snow walk tomorrow night?"

"Absolutely. All right, now, honey, tell Grandma that you three arrived there not a member of the Junior League, I'd like you _all_ to leave there the same way."

"Call to say goodnight."

"I will. Bye." Rory hung up the phone and turned to face her grandmother, who announced,

"Joshua's sleeping." _Sure, now he falls asleep._

"Yeah, he does that. He'll be up within an hour, I'm sure. He'll be hungry."

"Are you?"

"Asleep?"

"No, though it appears that you did inherit your mother's sense of humor. Are you hungry?"

"A little."

"Ok, well, I'm gonna go get in touch with our cook. We'll have something whipped up by the time your brother wakes up." _When did Fruit Rollups go out of style?_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth, Ryan, and Jess, laughing and throwing Salt and Vinegar chips, entered Miss Patty's dance studio, shutting the door tightly behind them.

"You idiot," Jess joked, laughing at Seth.

"What? I thought the lyrics were 'Ain't no lie, baby, pie, pie, pie.'"

"Who did you think wrote the song?"

"I don't know. Chris Kirkpatrick looks like he could enjoy the occasional pastry!"

"You're a moron."

"This is exactly why I don't listen to pop music." They walked up the rows of chairs, but stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of a familiar head,

"Kirk?" They all gawked in disbelief. Kirk turned awkwardly in his seat and greeted them stiffly,

"Hello, boys."

"Kirk, what are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for the show to start."

"It doesn't start for another hour."

"I wanted a good seat. I figured this one is perfect. Near the middle, but not so near the middle that I get spit on by the comedians."

"You have to be kidding me." They were so immersed in their conversation that none of them heard the click come from the door behind them.

"Oh, no. Some of these comedians can get a lot of leverage with their spit." Ryan shook his head, but walked to the second row and took seats, continuing to joke and tease. Kirk turned around rigidly again,

"Are you boys going to be acting like this through the entire show?"

"The show doesn't start until seven, Kirk. We aren't interrupting anything."

"You're interrupting my preshow meditation ritual."

"Your what?"

"Just please stop talking."

"Alright, Kirk." The boys sat quietly for a full three minutes, but soon got antsy. They stood up together and, stifling laughter, began to rifle around the room. One poster caught Ryan's eye,

"Hey, guys, did you see this?" The boys shuffled over to read the sign that Ryan was looking at. It had been hastily written on a spare piece of computer paper in Miss Patty's handwriting.

Patty's comedy party has been postponed until further notice due to questionable weather.

Thank you,

Miss Patty

Seth sighed,

"Another night shot." The boys turned to the door to pull it open, but found it impossible to do so, "Guys, it isn't opening."

"Seth, you wimp. It's a little frozen and you can't open it." Ryan went over to pull the door open, but found that he couldn't either. Jess laughed,

"Cohen men. Try to act all macho, but deep down you couldn't open a pickle jar," Jess teased jokingly, trying (and failing) to open the door.

"Someone must've locked it from the outside," Ryan commented.

"Crap." Seth began banging on the door,

"HELP! HELP! WE'RE TRAPPED IN HERE AND KIRK IS MEDITATING!" Ryan shook his head and pulled his brother away from the door,

"Forget it, Seth. Everyone's at home or at the reenactment. We're locked in."

"Should we call our parents?" asked Jess, pulling out his cellphone. Ryan nodded, but Seth suddenly became excited,

"No! No, don't!"

"What?"

"Don't call them. This could actually be one of the best nights we've ever had."

"Seth, the snow's making you a bit loopy."

"No, think about it. We could have this place and just hang out. We have food. It's heated. We have a bathroom. Just call mom and dad and tell them we're fine and we're spending the night at a friend's house." Ryan grinned,

"Seth has a good idea."

"For once." Kirk seemed to be shaken from his odd reverie,

"What's going on?"

"We're spending the night here tonight."

"We're WHAT! No! Mother would never allow that!" Seth grinned,

"Mother doesn't need to know."

"Mother will know. She knows everything. She sees everything."

"Your mother is not omnipotent, Kirk."

"She is. A doctor prescribed medicine to take care of it," Jess, Ryan, and Seth eyed each other curiously, "I'm going to call her and get out of here." The boys quickly formulated a silent plan. Ryan put his hands on Kirk's as Jess pulled Kirk's cellphone out of his hand, and Seth pulled out a bag of Doritos from the Doose's bag in his hand,

"Look, Kirk. Look what we have."

"Oh, Doritos," he breathed excitedly, "I like Doritos."

"You can have some, too, if you promise not to call your mother." Kirk grappled with the idea for a moment,

"You promise she can't see us right now?"

"Yes."

"Gimme the Doritos."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well, I just don't understand why you waited so late to call. . . Are you sure? . . . Fine. . .All right, yes, goodbye," she slammed the phone back onto its cradle, "Well, I don't know what I'm gonna do now."

"What's the problem, Emily?" asked Richard, looking up from the now-awake Joshua.

"The problem is that apparently Florence cannot get here because of the storm."

"Florence?"

"Our cook."

"Ah. Well, we'll just have to go out then."

"Oh, please, Richard, pay attention. We can't go out. It's miserable out there. Especially to put the children in such danger."

"Well, we'll figure something out then."

"What? What will we figure out?" _Gotta love the self-sufficient women of the new Millenium._

"Well, I don't know, but..."

"I hate the damn snow." _Mom's right, though. It's magical._

"Emily, calm down."

"This is a serious problem. These Friday dinners are the only proper food that child eats all week," she pointed at Rory, who innocently bottle-fed her sister.

"Rory, are you or any of your siblings in any way malnourished or in need of some international relief organization to recruit a celebrity to raise money on your account?"

"We're good."

"They're good, Emily."

"Your sense of humor rears its ugly head at the oddest of times, Richard." _Someone's a bit dramatic, now, aren't we._

"Emily, I am not the mastermind behind some great scheme to spoil your dinner plans and I don't care to be treated as such."

"So you're fine with having no dinner tonight, is that it?"

"I certainly am not." Rory put Hannah back into her carseat,

"Hey, how about I check the fridge? I'm sure there's something in there we could whip up."

"Whip up?" _Unfamiliar with the words?_

"Yeah, come on. It'll be fun, I promise."

"Well, come on, Mr. We'll Figure it Out." Rory picked Hannah back up and allowed her grandfather to carry Josh into the kitchen. They opened the fridge and her grandmother sighed angrily,

"Nothing."

"Not a blessed thing." Rory leaned forward,

"Hey, there's frozen pizza." Emily seemed perplexed,

"How in the world did that get there?"

"Maybe you bought it and forgot about it."

"I have never bought frozen pizza. It must belong to Anna." _Old cook?_

"The maid." _I was close._

"Yes."

"Ah, got one." _I would be proud, too._ Rory pulled out the pizza and shifted her sister, handing her to Emily.

"What are you doing?" _I'm gonna make a hoverdisc to send for help._

"I'm gonna make it."

"Oh, Rory, you're not serious."

"That hardly looks like dinner."

"I agree. Rory, that's food you eat at a carnival, or in a Turkish prison."

"I promise you're gonna love it."

"But..."

"Listen, just leave it up to me. You guys go back into the living room, play with Hannah and Joshy, and I'll call you when it's ready," resigned, they headed back to the living room, "Hey, Grandma?"

"Yes?"

"What are the odds of you knowing where a cookie sheet would be?"

"I'd say very slim."

"Never mind. I'll find it."

"Very slim? Thank you for that." _I don't think she's kidding._

Later that night, Rory set up her brother and sister in the extra clothes that she had packed for them in the diaper bag, placing their carseats on the floor of her mother's bedroom. After kissing them each on the forehead and bidding them a goodnight (for now; she knew they'd be up by three AM), she changed into a spare nightgown and climbed into bed. Glad to have allowed the twins to spend time with their grandparents, she leaned over and flicked the light.

_Believe it or not, I think I made the right choice._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan, Seth, Jess, and Kirk sat in a circle, their smorgasbord of junk food placed directly in the middle of them. They had pushed the folding chairs to the far corners of the room, played games of Ding-Dong hockey (A variation of Lorelai and Rory's bagel hockey), candy basketball, and _Name that Tune_ (which was Kirk's suggestion, but quickly went spiraling downhill as Seth and Jess began humming _Because I Got High _and _Baby Got Back_. Kirk had shoved his fingers into his ears and began singing _My Mommy Always Comes Back_ to drown out the noise). At this point, they were playing a game of their own version of _To Tell the Truth_ with host Seth Ezekiel (He had decided that his stage name would be sans last name; _it was more Rock N' Roll that way_, he had explained).

"Kirk Gleason, your question. What is your dream life?" Kirk stood up and took the Baby Bottle-Pop that Seth used for a microphone,

"Well, Mr. Ezekiel, there are many facets to a dream life. My dream life consists of being married to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with our 18 beautiful Ginsburg children- four sets of twins and two sets of triplets included, of course..."

"Of course," Seth agreed, shooting his brother and friend a skeptical glance. Kirk continued,

"We'd live in a nice three-bedroom house. Painted half sky-blue, the other half lavender, with red shudders in the window. Our children would play 'Commercial Actor' out front and then they'd come in asking for their favorite food. Smoked Salmon is delicious... Oh! And I'd be head mailman." Ryan nodded,

"Perfectly respectable."

"I thought so." Seth took back the faux microphone,

"Ryan, your turn." He turned to his brother and looked up,

"What's my question?"

"Ryan Cohen. What I want to know is... what do you think of teenage relationships?" Ryan sighed,

"What do I think? I think that they're a good idea. I don't... I don't know if I believe in all of that 'we're old enough to get married before we can drive' nonsense, but I do believe in teenage love. I mean, I love my girlfriend, but we're too young to do anything so drastic."

"What about taking your relationship a step further?" Kirk, perplexed, asked,

"What's he talking about?" Ryan ignored him,

"Not unless my girlfriend's ready," he answered, making sure to eye Jess, who was watching him with conviction; he was fiercely protective of Rory. Jess, satistfied, nodded,

"I guess that's an acceptable answer."

"I thought so."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning, Miss Patty came and opened the dance studio to find three town teenagers and Kirk fast asleep on the floor, food surrounding them. She had laughed it off and woken them up, explaining that next time, they should let their parents know where they were (The heat could've blown). They had apologized and headed towards the diner where they found Rory seated with her mother and siblings, eating breakfast.

"Hey," greeted Ryan, kissing her on the cheek, "You're back?"

"Yeah. Had a little sleepover with the grandparents, though."

"Well, make sure you put the keg back. That thing can leak all over the place."

"I did. How was your night? What'd you wind up doing?" Jess shrugged,

"Learning about Kirk's dreams for the future."

"Anything anyone else would ever wish for?" Seth shook his head,

"Gotta give him credit for being an individual."


	23. Trust

_A/N- Do you know that there's almost nothing I like better after a long day of camp than coming home and finding reviews in my email box? Keep me happy, please :)._

_A/N 2- Questions! Rory is sixteen. So are all the rest of the kids. Rory's adoption already happened, but Jess' didn't. It will, soon, with some drama infused... Everybody who's so dead set against Marissa and/or Summer in the story? They wouldn't be main characters, if they came. It'd be a one or two chapter deal, like the first time Jimmy and co. showed up. I just feel like the main characters I have don't get enough air time as is. I'm still playing with the idea, though... At least one breakup probably will happen, but I love the idea of them being High school sweethearts. I'm a hopeless romantic... K that's all of them for now._

_A/N3- Elizabethintheblue- I don't usually do this, so you know this is incredible. How did you read all of the chapters in one day! It's almost three hundred pages long! I tried it once and I soooo didn't have the attention span for that. I must say that I am impressed._

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew the last movie was **Monty Python and the Holy Grail** (Which is possibly my favorite movie of all time). That would be: Ally and Bee (My favorite bee in the whole wide world! I miss you so much!) b/c they both reviewed late, ok... actual people who knew Holy Grail... BassClarinetSweetie, FlipGurl219, Du Grey, SmartCookie816, harmmac82, Lonnie, SmartiePantz, Chelsea, and Queen of the Elven City. To be honest, I expected more... K good._

_New challenge: Who knows what tv show Lorelai and Rory are watching/talking about in the den towards the beginning of the chapter? Same rules as always, dears._

Trust

"Hi, hi, I know, I'm late, I'm sorry. I was talking to my Spanish teacher about the test we're having next week." Ryan shook his head and joked,

"We'll forgive you. This time." Jess shook his head,

"Speak for yourself. I'm never taking out the garbage for you again. You made me late to stand at the bus stop while everyone else from our school drives by and laughs at us for not having our own cars to crash." Rory cocked her head to one side as they continued walking towards the corner,

"I'm sorry?"

"Here," Ryan said, handing her a sheet of paper, "They were handing these out by the front door." Rory glanced over it,

"What is this?"

"Newsletter."

"Oh, right. Anything interesting?" Seth shrugged,

"School dance coming up. Next week."

"Oh," Rory tiptoed around the subject, "What do you guys think?"

"I'm bringing Lane. Definitely," Seth announced proudly. Rory grinned patronizingly,

"She'll like that. Jess?"

"I'm not sure how much of a 'Chilton school dance' girl Ally is, but I'll ask her anyway. It's kinda stupid. We hate these people. Why do we want to spend extra time with them eating crappy food and listening to crappy music?" Ryan nodded,

"I agree with that. Who wants to go sit next to Madeline and Louise arguing over who gets to hook up with the new kid first and who gets sloppy seconds?" He paused for a second, "C'mon, I mean, Rory gets what I'm saying. Right, Ror?" Rory quickly hid the disappointed frown threatening to overcome her lips and nodded with a shaky smile,

"Right... right. I mean, no one wants to hear Paris complain about the quality of the steak she paid five dollars for." Ryan triumphantly threw his arm around her,

"See? Rory understands."

"Umm... yeah... yeah..." Rory couldn't find anything else to say, so instead, she nestled closer into the crook of Ryan's arm.

"I, personally, would _love_ to watch Tristan and Paris argue over who's more likely to be the next dictator to overthrow a major country," Seth mentioned.

"My money's on Paris."

"People _are_ scared of her."

"But Tristan has that weird manipulative ability." Rory stopped the boys,

"This conversation just got very weird, even for us."

"New topic?"

"Please."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Rory entered the house that afternoon, she mused on her afternoon. _Ryan doesn't want to go. That's ok. I can go alone or... we could spend the night together... watching a movie... eating junk food... just like always. Nothing special. Nothing new. Nothing interesting... Not that that usually bothers me... I don't know..._

She sighed and threw her bookbag onto the floor next to the sofa, dropping the newsletter carelessly onto the coffee table, and allowed herself to fall back on the couch.

What seemed like a moment later, she was startled by her mother's frantic footsteps shuffling through the den. She sat up, confused,

"Mom? What are you doing home?" Lorelai shot her a distracted glance,

"I'm looking for Josh's blue binky. The one he loves. He's asleep, so it's not dire, but he'll be up soon enough, and then, all hell will break loose." Rory scratched at her head,

"They let you go home from work to find his binky? Isn't it enough that they let you bring the twins to work half the week?" Lorelai shook her head,

"What are you talking about? It's 7:30."

"7:30?" Rory asked, turning to the clock on the TV's cable box, "I've been asleep all this time? Why didn't you wake me up?" Lorelai shook her head,

"I only got home an hour ago. You've just seemed so tired lately. I figured you could use the rest. Besides, you're no use to me if you aren't awake enough to find your brother's binky."

"That thing always gets lost," said Rory, flipping on the TV and switching the channel, "Hey," she said, pointing the remote at the television, "maybe you could call Grissom and Catherine and have them come help look for it. They'd be up for the job. Easier than investigating the cause of death of mutilated bodies." Lorelai shook her head,

"Nah. Warrick's hot and everything, but I'm sure they'd charge you an exorbitant amount of money for a pacifier. I'd be better off just going and buying one at the store."

"Joshy's attached to that one, though."

"Yeah, well, you were attached to your pet guinea pig when you were two, but when he died, you forgot about it within a week. I bought you a new baby doll." Rory's mouth fell open,

"You and dad told me he ran away!" Lorelai laughed, lifting up the papers on the coffee table in her ongoing effort to find the pacifier. She was distracted by a picture of a spotted owl,

"What's this?"

"Chilton newsletter."

"Why didn't I get one?"

"It'll probably come in the mail tomorrow." Lorelai skimmed it,

"Hey, are you gonna go to this?" Rory was perplexed,

"To what? The owl?"

"The dance."

"Oh," Rory looked away, "That... no..."

"Why not?"

"Cuz I hate dances," she covered quickly.

"Good answer," Lorelai sat next to her daughter, "Except you've never actually been to a dance."

"So?"

"So, you really have nothing to compare it to."

"No, but I can imagine it." _I've gotten good at lying. That's not healthy..._

"That's true. However, not really, since you've never actually been to one you're basing all your dance opinions on one midnight viewing of _Sixteen Candles_."

"So?"

"So you should have a decent reason for hating something before you really decide you hate it."

"Trust me, I'll hate it," she began to remember what her friends had said earlier, "It'll be stuffy and boring, the music will suck and since none of the kids at school like me, I'll be stuck in the back listening to 98° watching Tristan and Paris argue over which one of them gets to make me miserable first."

"OK. Or it'll be all sparkly and exciting and you'll be standing on the dance floor listening to Tom Waits with Ryan staring at you so hard that you don't even realize that Paris and Tristan have just been eaten by bears."

"Sounds like a good experience," she laughed nervously.

"Why do you really not want to go?" Rory scrunched up her nose; her mother could always tell when she was lying,

"Ryan doesn't want to go..." she breathed in frustration.

"How do you know that?"

"He said that it'll suck. That he doesn't want to."

"Oh. That... What were his exact words?"

"I believe they were 'It will suck. I don't want to go.'"

"Could mean anything," Lorelai jokingly waved off the comment.

"Mom," Rory said warningly; Lorelai sighed,

"What did you tell him?"

"Ryan?"

"No, Nick Stokes."

"I told him that... I told him I didn't want to go either."

"But you do want to go?" She paused,

"Kinda... He was just so against it... I don't know."

"You know what I think?"

"_Gilligan's Island_ was cancelled far too early?"

"Aside from that. I think you should tell Ryan that you want to go."

"What?"

"I think he'll understand. He loves you. If you want to go, I'm sure he'll brave it for a night."

"I don't know..."

"You do know, Rory. You know because you're you and you've never let anything stand in the way of something you want. Ryan would do anything for you. You know that. Tell him, ok?" Rory sighed, excitedly resigned,

"What will I wear?" Lorelai jumped up,

"I'll make you a dress. Something fabulous."

"Would I accept any less?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lane, Coltrane playing softly through her half-on headphones, sat at her desk, finishing her biology homework. Her eyes darted to her bedroom door, where she had set up an ottoman to allow her time to put away the offending cds should her mother enter the room without warning. She was startled by a knock from behind her. Whipping her head around, she found a familiar sight; Seth, a shopping bag filled with candy in hand, beamed through her window. She scurried to let him in and helped him climb softly through into her bedroom, careful not to make a noise that would alarm her mother.

"Seth," she scolded, "What are you doing here? My mom is home!" Seth grinned, holding up the bag of candy,

"I come with goods." Lane pulled up a loose floorboard and took the bag of goodies from her boyfriend, replacing the wood quickly.

"Thank you," she kissed him lightly and aimlessly moved towards her closet, "What else?"

"What makes you think there was more?"

"Oh, I don't know. You come here carrying candy, braving coming into my house when my mother is here, not bothering to keep your voice down. You're excited about something. Spill." He began to bounce excitedly,

"Lanie, there's gonna be a dance at Chilton. I wanted to know if you'd come with me?" Lane smiled,

"Are they going to be playing outdated Milli Vanilli, serving us over-priced, under-cooked, tiny portions of food, all while everyone dances, wearing the same outfits?" Seth nodded,

"Of course." She squealed,

"I am so there!" She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly, the two of them stumbling to the wall. They giggled together, but were immediately silenced upon hearing her mother's footsteps bounding down the hallway, "Quick! In the closet!" She threw him into the small room and ran to move the ottoman, then scurrying back to the window.

"Lane?"

"Yes, mama?" Her bedroom door swung open,

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, mama, I'm fine."

"I heard noises."

"What noises?"

"Giggling and falling. Are you sure nothing happened?"

"Yes, mama, I'm sure." Her mother began to walk towards her closed closet and her heart began to pound. _Stay quiet, Seth. Stay quiet._ Her heart may've stopped when she saw her mother rest her hand on the door handle- she wasn't sure. Her breath may've stopped when she heard a muffled hitch in someone's breathing. She didn't realize that it was her own, muffled by her hand aimlessly wandering over her own mouth.

She felt herself lose the numbness threatening to overtake her body as her mother moved away from the closet and walked towards her,

"What are you doing, Lane?"

"Me?" She covered quickly, "I'm doing biology homework."

"Why are you at the window?"

"To... to observe nature of course. For biology. Writing a report on the ecology of the tree outside my window."

"Oh... carry on, then. Tea will be ready in ten minutes. Finish your homework and come have some."

"Ok, mama. Thank you." Mrs. Kim couldn't leave fast enough for Lane (or Seth, whose asthma had been mildly offset in the small closet), and she ran to let her boyfriend loose, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, she wouldn't leave," she whispered.

"That's ok," Seth coughed quietly, "I should go, though. Just in case," he turned towards the window and cautiously climbed out, "The dance is next Saturday, by the way. Formal."

"I'll borrow something from Rory," she nodded, kissing him gently as he began down the tree. Just as Seth's bouncy brown curls disappeared below the windowsill, Lane's bedroom door creaked open once again.

"Lane," her mother said, causing her to jump three feet into the air, "What kind of herbal tea would you like?"

"Any kind, mama," she responded, a goofy grin overtaking her lips, "Whatever you want."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat, her legs curled beneath her, on the swing on the front porch of her house, a copy of _Moby Dick_ on her lap, a knit afghan covering her.

"Hey," Ryan shivered, walking up the steps greet her, "Reading in the cold again?"

"Keeps me awake," she smiled, leaning up to kiss him, "It feels good." He nodded,

"If you like it, it's ok by me." _This could be easier than I thought. _She grinned,

"Well, that's good. In that case, I have something to ask you." He pulled her closer to him, allowing her small body to warm his,

"What's up?" She paced herself,

"Ry, this school dance... we're... you... I..."

"Yeah, you and I make we... were you going somewhere with this?"

"Ryan... I know you think that its stupid, but... do you think... maybe... you could go to the dance... for me?"

"You want to go?" he asked incredulously.

"Kinda... I guess... Yeah. I do. Pretty badly, in fact. I mean, you don't have to go or anything. I could always go alone. Or with Jess. Maybe Ally won't want to come and my brother can be my date. Although, that's very _Brady Bunch_ and slightly creepy if you ask me..." he cut off her ramblings by pressing his lips to hers.

When he pulled away, she expected him to rant and rave.

She expected him to tell her she was crazy.

She expected him to laugh in her face.

She didn't expect him to simply answer,

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Ok."

"You mean you'll go?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you didn't want to go. I thought you said it'd be stupid and pointless and you'd never go?"

"Unless you wanted to. I'll go for you."

"You're sure? You don't want to stay home and watch _Flying Circus_ reruns on BBC?"

"We can do that anytime. We usually do, in fact. This is something special. If you want to get dressed up and go, it's fine with me."

"Thank you."

"Any time... well, under one circumstance?"

"What?"

"Can we go inside? I'm freezing."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do you want a sip?" asked Ally, offering Jess the milkshake he'd made her before the end of his shift at Kandy's. He shook his head,

"No thanks. I get enough ice cream during my shift. I think I'm starting to get sick of it." Ally stage-gasped,

"Not possible." He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist,

"Quite possible. I've sunk to eating nachos instead of cones on-shift."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"That's a travesty."

"Not really a travesty. Word choice is off there."

"This isn't Chilton," she joked, "You don't need to be on grammar and word-choice patrol at all times." _Oh! Perfect segue!_

"Speaking of Chilton," he started, "Look... there's a dance at Chilton next week. I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me." Ally looked to Jess, to her shake, to her shoes, and to Jess' hand resting comfortably on her hip. Jess was taken aback as she started to laugh hysterically. Doubled over, she managed to cough out,

"Good one, Jess. Very funny. You, me, Chilton dance?" He regarded her strangely,

"I'm not kidding." She laughed harder,

"Stop pulling the straight face, Jess. This is one of your stupid jokes." He shook his head,

"No, but at this point I wish it was." She slowly regained breath,

"You're not kidding?" He shook his head,

"No." She squinted at him and looked him deep in the eye,

"You want to go to this?" He shrugged,

"I don't know. I should get more involved in my school, I think. My parents keep telling me to join a club. I figured showing up to the school dance would make life easier."

"But I thought you hate those kids at your school?"

"I do."

"You called them all 'Preppy know-nothings who wouldn't be anywhere without daddy's money.'"

"I did."

"You told me that if you ever went to a Chilton school function you'd spend the entire time on the side, making fun of people."

"I will."

"So why do you want to go?"

"I don't know," he sighed, "It's just... this is my school now. We always used to go to all the Stars Hollow High things. I want to be a part of Chilton, I guess." She sighed,

"Ok... for you, I'll go."

"Thank you," he leaned in for a kiss.

"You owe me."

"You get to wear something pretty."

"I'd rather wear something ugly and go bowling with you."

"But you love me, so you'll be miserable for me?"

"But I love you, so I'll be miserable for you." He grinned,

"I think I'll have a sip of that milkshake now."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next week, Lorelai, complete with a back spasm she got from falling over while making Rory's dress, waited for her children to finish getting dressed,

"What is taking you two so long?"

"Sorry, we're not used to doing things without Hannah crying or Josh screaming in the background," Jess called back from downstairs. Luke, though he had wanted to stay home and take care of Lorelai, had to work that night, so he took the twins with him to make life easier for his wife.

"Well, hurry up!"

"I'm primping!" Rory called back.

"You're sixteen! You have skin like a baby's ass; there's nothing to primp!"

"Doesn't matter. Still primping." Jess came bounding up the stairs, dressed in a suit, his hair slicked back, a corsage for Ally in his hand.

"Lemme see," Lorelai ordered. Jess stood still and did as he was told, "Debonair."

"I thought so."

"You look very handsome tonight."

"Thank you. I clean up nicely."

"I'm proud to tell people you're my son. For tonight, anyway."

"Gee, thanks, mom."

"No problem, kid."

"Ok, well, I'm gonna go pick up Ally."

"You're taking the truck?"

"Does dad have the van?"

"Yeah."

"Then yes."

"Ok, have fun," he leaned over and kissed her cheek, "Be home by twelve."

"Ok."

"Bye."

"Bye." As Jess closed the front door, Rory's voice echoed through the house,

"OK, OK, here I come." Rory entered the den, fully dressed in the blue gown created by her mother.

"Wow. Someone hit you with a pretty stick." She looked herself over,

"This dress is amazing. You outdid yourself."

"It's beautiful, babe, you look beautiful... Though I still think I should've made Jess a matching one...Come here."

"What?"

"Stray hair." Lorelai leaned forward and fixed the hair just as the back door burst open. Lane bounded towards the bathroom,

"Hey! I'm here! I'm dropping my stuff and getting changed!" She slammed the door without another word.

"She may be nervous."

"It's possible." Lorelai craned her neck and looked at Rory's feet,

"I think my favorite part is the shoes."

"The heels hurt."

"Well, beauty is pain"

"I'll just throw them on on my way out"

"No, you should put them on now and let your feet get really numb."

"That's sick." Lane's voice rang through the house,

"Hey, Rory? This dress you loaned me? Which way is front and which way is back?"

"Go help her." Rory obliged and ran to her friend, hearing a car drive up in front of the house,

"Who's that?"

"Oh," Lorelai answered, "That's either Sookie or mom."

"Grandma?"

"She browbeat me into letting her come take pictures of you."

"Really?"

"Ye..." Lane interrupted her,

"Rory? I think I'm stuck!" Rory, mild panic in her eyes, ran to assist her best friend as the doorbell rang.

"It's open!"

"It's me! I got tacos!"

"Yay! Luke's not gonna be home 'til late, so I'm not gonna have anything to eat. You rock."

"I got extra hot sauce and a couple of extra burritos to put in the fridge in case you get hungry later."

"You take such good care of me. I'm dumping the husband for you." Rory, fresh from untangling Lane, reentered the den,

"Hey, Sookie. Look." Sookie gasped,

"Oh my God! You're a movie star! I'm serious. Oh my -- At some point tonight, walk down a flight of stairs. Movie stars always walk down staircases."

"While you try to figure out what she just said, tell me, is Lane ok?"

"Yeah," Rory handed her mother a bottle of hairspray to hold the stray hair from earlier in place. Sookie grabbed it before Lorelai could,

"You stay put. I'll do it," she said before clumsily holding the bottle in the wrong direction, effectively spraying herself in the eyes, "Ow!"

"Sookie."

"Wrong way! I got it."

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, sweetie, hand that to your mother, and my eyelashes are all stuck together."

"Honey, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." Lorelai turned to Rory, motioning to the bag of Tacos on the floor,

"Shield the tacos. OK, ready?"

"G-d!" Rory coughed out.

"OK, that will be good for six slow dances, four medium ones, one lambada, but if you plan on doing any moshing I suggest another coat."

"I think I'm good." They heard a crash and Sookie's voice,

"Rory, sweetie, is this soap by the sink in the silver bottle?"

"No!" Lorelai, panicked, told Rory to,

"Go in there, quick." The doorbell rang as Rory ran to help Sookie,

"We're in here!" Emily appeared around the corner, tsking disapprovingly,

"We're in here? That's how you answer the door?"

"Well I was all out of Saran Wrap."

"I don't even want to figure that one out. I just want to see my granddaughter." She heard the rustling in the bathroom and scurried to the door, knocking quickly,

"C'mon out! I want to see how beautiful you look." The door slowly opened and Lane, perplexed, stepped out,

"Hi?"

"You're not Rory," Emily stated simply, just as confused.

"No. I'm not."

"Mom, that's Rory's friend Lane. You remember her, right?"

"Oh, that's right. Nice to see you again, Jane. I like that dress."

"Lane, mom."

"And it's Rory's. She loaned it to me for tonight." Lorelai motioned her over and fixed her hair into a half-ponytail wrapped with a flower and looked her over,

"You look great, kid."

"Thanks, Lorelai."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but where is Rory?"

"Kitchen."

"Oh, perfect. I want to be all ready for the big entrance. How's the light in here? Never mind. I'll just take one with the flash and one without to make sure we got it right."

"Wow, Mom, look at you. You'd think Anne Taylor was having a sale or something."

"Ok, Rory, come in here please." Rory entered the den, a burger in her hand, a napkin tucked into her dress,

"Hey, Grandma."

"What have you and your husband done?" Lorelai, stifling a laugh, asked,

"Where did you get a burger?"

"Daddy left it for me. I just heated it up."

"Honey, lose the bib and the taco, put your shoes on, come back out, and let Grandma take the pretty picture."

"Ok," she disappeared into her room, Lane trailing after her, passing Sookie on her way out,

"I'm gonna get going."

"You are not driving." Sookie shook her head,

"I walked," she turned to the staircase, "It was nice to see you again, Mrs. Gilmore, or at least make out your shape."

"Call in fifteen minutes or I'm sending out a search party," Lorelai instructed. Sookie, facing the wall, answered,

"And you call me if I can come over and help you up the stairs or something." Lorelai quickly shook her head,

"No, I'll be fine. Kirsten and Sandy will be around later, anyway."

"Bye." Emily turned to Lorelai, intrigued,

"Why would you need help up the stairs?"

"No reason. Rory, Lane, let's go, your public awaits!" Emily stepped closer to her daughter,

"Why aren't you moving?"

"I'm comfortable, that's all."

"Are you hurt?"

"I have a little back spasm, that's it. It's no big deal."

"What sort of back spasm?"

"I don't know, Mom, just a normal one."

"There is nothing normal about a back spasm. The very fact that it has the word spasm in it means it's not normal." Lorelai, desperate for distraction, was grateful when the girls entered the room,

"Alright, here they are, Mom, get your camera moving." Lane stepped off to the side as Emily took picture after picture of Rory; they had taken their group pictures earlier,

"Oh, my, you're gorgeous. Oh! Smile!" After twenty or so pictures, Rory glanced at the clock,

"Oh, we have to go."

"Go where?" asked Emily, looking around.

"Go meet Seth and Ryan," Lane explained, "They're driving, so we're heading over there and going out." Emily eyed Lane as though she had three heads,

"That's improper."

"What?"

"That's improper. They should come pick you up."

"Oh, but Grandma, we already told the boys we'd meet them at their house."

"They'll figure it out. You wait here."

"Grandma..." Rory whined.

"You wait here." Lane and Rory stared at each other, communicating frustrations through their eyes. Five minutes after they were supposed to show up at the boys' house, Rory's cellphone rang. She ran and picked it up, knowing before answering that it was Ryan,

"Hey... yeah... no, I know we were supposed to meet at six... No... look, my grandma's here... yeah... yeah, I know... Could you guys?... thank you so much... I love you, too... ok, bye..." She hung up the phone and turned triumphantly to Lane, mouthing _They're coming._ Lane nodded and exhaled in relief.

After a minute, there was a frantic knock at the door; the girls ran to open it.

"Don't run. Ladies never run," Emily instructed, though the girls ignored her. Rory pulled the door open to find Ryan, barely flushed, and Seth, red in the cheeks.

"We ran," Seth whined quietly. Lane comforted him,

"Aww, baby."

"What happened?" Rory raised her eyebrows and Ryan nodded in sudden understanding.

"Come in," Rory instructed quietly, taking Ryan's hand.

"Hello, boys," Emily greeted coldly as they let go of each other and entered the den.

"Mrs. Gilmore," both boys nodded politely.

"Ok, we should get going," announced Rory, grabbing her purse from the coffee table.

"Be home by eleven," Emily instructed, no hint of a teasing smile on her face. Rory, Lane (who was sleeping over that night), and the boys looked pleadingly to Lorelai, who mouthed _Twelve_ behind her back.

"Bye, mom. Bye, Grandma," Rory leaned over and kissed them each on the cheek. Her mother instructed,

"Stop by the diner. Daddy wants to see you before you go."

"Ok, mom."

"Have a good time." _Feel better _mouthed Rory and Lane, but Seth said loudly,

"Hey, Lorelai, mom says that if you need her, she's on call."

"Thanks, Seth," she said through gritted teeth.

"C'mon," said Lane as she pulled on her boyfriend's arm, "Bye, Lorelai. Bye, Mrs. Gilmore." Emily watched them go and turned to her daughter,

"What do you know about these boys?"

"Nothing. They were sitting on the corner playing Poker when we went to New York City last week and we thought, 'Hey, they're cute. You should go together.'"

"Be serious, Lorelai."

"They're brothers. I've known them since they were seven, mom. I'm best friends with their parents. They're like extra kids to me. They're good kids." Emily let the subject drop,

"Where's your husband tonight?"

"Working."

"He left you?"

"No, mom. John and Caesar both called in sick, so Luke had to work tonight."

"He left you alone with a back spasm and two newborns to take care of?"

"Do you see Josh and Hannah anywhere?" Emily looked around,

"I don't believe I do."

"He took them with him."

"When will he be home?"

"Later. He'll be around if I need him. He's only five minutes away."

"Well you certainly can't be left alone."

"Yes I can."

"You can barely move. You've been sitting on that couch since I got here."

"That's because this is a right comfy couch," she patted the couch to exaggerate her point.

"Maybe I should stay."

"No, no, Mom, you really don't have to do that. Luke will be home soon. Kirsten and Sandy and Sookie are all around. They can all be here within minutes. I'm fine."

"I'm not leaving my daughter stranded on the couch. What if you need to get to the bathroom?"

"I don't go anymore, Mom. I gave it up cold turkey."

"I'm staying."

"No, Mom...Look -- I can stand, OK?" Lorelai stood up, pain evident on her face, "See? I'm up. OK, see? I'm fine."

"Move," Emily instructed coldly, never taking her eyes off of Lorelai.

"What?"

"Move. If you're fine, then move." Lorelai stood still,

"I can move. This is me moving... Any second now the moving will begin... Rats," she flopped back onto the couch in resignation.

"I'll go start some tea. Please tell me you have something besides Lipton."

"Oh, G-d, kill me now," Lorelai muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, uh, Luke drinks tea. There should be some in the cabinet," Lorelai called out, wincing from internal and external pain. It was going to be a long night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Nice room," Lane whispered in awe, clinging to Seth's side.

"Big," Ally commented.

"Huge," breathed Seth. Ryan and Rory only looked at each other and inhaled nervously, him hugging her tightly to his side.

"Do you guys want to dance?" Everyone shook their heads,

"Not yet. Let's get settled first."

"Good idea." They sat at an empty table, not noticing Madeline and Louise, already bored with the party, watching them from across the room.

"Oh, wow, is that Jess Mariano?"

"He cleans up good."

"Not to mention Cohen #1 and #2, but Mariano usually doesn't give off the feeling that he'd ever look like _that_."

"Who's that he's with?"

"Probably some small-town girl from his old school."

"Apple pie, anyone?"

"Let's go." They got up and meandered to Jess, alone since the girls and the Cohen boys had wandered off to examine the room.

"Hey, do I know you?"

"Very funny, Louise."

"You look great, Jess."

"Thanks. You look nice, too."

"Didn't peg you to have that fashion sense."

"I don't. My mom does." Suddenly, Rory reappeared,

"Jess, I just talked to mom on the phone. My grandma's staying with her 'til dad gets home." Jess winced,

"War path when we get home?" Rory shrugged,

"She can't move, so my guess would be no."

"Rory, I love the dress."

"Who made it?" Rory looked down,

"Oh. Lorelai Danes."

"You made your own dress?"

"No. My mom did."

"Wow. Your mom really does have fashion sense," Louise said, sidling up to Jess.

Ally watched from the sidelines- _How do I fit into this picture?_

Nonetheless, she bounded towards her boyfriend, greeting him with a gentle kiss. He narrowed his eyes at her and introduced her,

"Madeline, Louise, this is my girlfriend. Ally, these are some of my classmates."

"Girlfriend?" Ally nodded, confidently answering,

"Two years."

"I'm bored," announced Louise, "Let's go." They wandered away and Seth, Lane, and Ryan returned,

"What was that all about?"

"Beats us."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour (and three slow dances each) later, Tristan spotted Rory in the corner, chatting animatedly with Ryan.

He made his way over to the almost-empty table when he saw Ryan get up.

"Hey, where's the boyfriend?"

"Getting our coats. We're gonna head out," Rory answered, decidedly avoiding his eye.

"So soon? We didn't get to dance."

"I did."

"Not with me."

"There's a reason."

"Oh, yeah? And what would that be?"

"I don't like you," she said simply, not noticing that Ryan, Seth, Jess, Lane, and Ally were fast-approaching.

"You know you do."

"No. I don't." He reached out and grabbed somewhat gently for her arm,

"You're a terrible liar." Rory pulled her arm out of his way,

"Yeah. I am, actually. That's how you'd know if I was lying. Since I'm not, it should be obvious that I _don't _like you."

"C'mon, just one dance." As he leaned forward for Rory, Ryan stepped between her and Tristan,

"Leave her alone."

"Jealous, farm boy?"

"No. I know she'd never cheat on me with you. I also know she'd never hit you. I, on the other hand? I'm not as mature as she is. So I suggest you get away from her before I have to make you," Ryan said, his voice unwavering. Tristan ignored him and leaned forward for Rory,

"You know you don't believe what he's saying." This time, Jess stepped forward,

"Touch my sister and you'll be hearing through your ass."

"Why not?" commented Seth, "He already thinks with it." Lane and Ally stifled a laugh as Tristan commented,

"Funny, Cohen. But you know she likes me. It's only a matter of time before she leaves this loser for me." Ryan pulled back his fist wordlessly to hit the blonde boy, but felt a gentle hand hold him back,

"Ry, please. You're better than this. Don't," she pleaded with him; she knew he could never refuse her. He calmly took her hand,

"Let's go," The group began to walk away before Ryan turned around and added, "Just remember- I'm always around." Seth stared at his brother,

"Ohh, creepy."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth parked out front of Doose's Market and he, Lane, Rory, and Ryan piled out of the car; it was still early and though Jess and Ally had decided to call it a night at ten-thirty, the Cohens and the girls had decided that they would hang out for a bit. They wandered down the street in a comfortable silence, each wrapped up in their respective boyfriend or girlfriend. They all looked up in curiosity as they passed Miss Patty's.

"I guess Miss Patty forgot to lock up."

"Or she's afraid someone's stuck in there overnight," Lane sniggered.

"Stuck... having a sleepover with junk food and Kirk..." Seth shrugged.

"Potato, po-tah-to," Ryan finished.

"I still can't believe you guys did that," Rory laughed as they walked up the stairs to the dance studio. They all sat down.

"This is boring," Seth quickly commented, "We need music."

"Ok, ADD boy." Lane fished through her purse, producing an Al Green CD. She got up and quickly placed the CD into Miss Patty's high-tech stereo, turning the sound down low.

"You carry a CD with you?" asked Ryan incredulously.

"Have you not met me? It's one of my quirks. Just like I know Rory has books in her purse right now." Rory blushed,

"Only one." Lane sat back down without another word and nestled closer to Seth. They sat in silence, comfortably wrapped in each others' arms, and didn't notice as all four of them drifted off to sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At three in the morning, Lorelai was woken by Hannah's cries over the baby monitor. She glanced sleepily over at Luke, who was squinting back at her, and grinned at him,

"I can move again." Her mother had left around eleven, when Luke had returned home with Hannah and Josh. He had placed them in their cribs, had a short, blunt conversation with Emily, and carried Lorelai up to bed, falling asleep shortly before twelve, having seen Jess come home (though he only waved hello and sleep-walked towards his bedroom).

"I'm glad." She leaned over and kissed him before going to retrieve her youngest daughter.

"Hi, baby. Mommy's here. Mommy's here. No more crying, baby. Come." She walked downstairs and decided to check on her two older children.

Silently as possible, she opened the door to Jess' bedroom, listening to his peaceful snoring before moving to Rory's room. _I hope they had fun... I'll ask them tomorrow._

She opened the door to Rory's room and listened carefully for the slow, rhythmic movements of Rory and Lane's breaths. Slowly, it dawned on her that there were none.

"Rory?" she said tentatively, pushing the door open a bit wider, though she got no answer, "Lane?" Nothing. She flung the door open, "Girls?" She gasped as she saw her daughter's empty bed, "LUKE! LUKE!" He ran down the stairs,

"What? What's wrong?"

"Rory! Lane! They're not... She's not... Still out!"

"What?"

"The girls! They're not home!" Luke's eyes went wide,

"THEY'RE WHAT!"

"They're still not home, Luke! It's three in the morning and the girls aren't home!" Luke, more panicked than ever before in his life, grabbed the phone and dialed Sandy and Kirsten's number.

"Hullo?" came Sandy's groggy voice from the other end.

"Sandy, are the kids at your house?"

"What? Luke? What are you talking about?"

"Rory and Lane. They aren't here. Are the boys home?" Sandy's voice instantly went from tired to concerned. Luke heard him shake Kirsten awake,

"Kirsten... Kirsten... it's Luke. The girls never came home." Kirsten's muffled voice said something frantically about,

"The boys' bedrooms," and her shuffling footsteps quickly faded. They heard her run back into the room as Sandy announced that he was getting dressed,

"The boys aren't home either!"

"We'll meet you outside."

"What do we do with Hannah and Josh?"

"Take them. See you in a second." Lorelai took Hannah upstairs and quickly bundled her and Joshua, leaving a note for Jess, meeting Sandy and Kirsten in the street within five minutes.

"Where could they be?"

"No splitting up. Search town first." They walked briskly through the quiet streets of Stars Hollow,

"RORY!"

"LANE!"

"SETH!"

"RYAN!"

They ran from building to building, knocking on doors, asking for help, peering into windows, and looking around behind the storefronts and homes. As they walked past Miss Patty's, Sandy noticed a light on,

"Patty never leaves without shutting the lights." Together, the adults ran up the stairs and threw the door open, finding the teenagers asleep on the floor. They were startled awake by the noise,

"What's going on?"

"Where are we?"

"What time is it?" Lorelai and Kirsten began to cry tears of relief and, without bothering to wipe them away, threw their arms around the teens, sobbing,

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Why would you scare us like that?" Rory looked at her friends,

"What's going on?" Luke glared at her,

"Home. Now."

"What?" asked Ryan, "Dad, what's happening? What time is it?"

"Three in the morning. And you're lucky it's not the last three in the morning you'll ever see. _Up. Home. Now."_ He said it with such force that all four sixteen-year-olds stood up without another word and began marching home.

"We must've fallen asleep."

"You think so?" asked Seth sarcastically.

"We're in for it now."

"Bigger than ever."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Rory woke up bright and early, determined to make it up to her parents. She didn't allow herself to sleep past 5:15, when she got out of bed, sleepily rubbing at her eyes, to cook breakfast for her family. As she entered the kitchen, she found her father walking through, grabbing things from various locations, muttering to himself,

"I need a different job. I have too many teenagers to be getting up this early in the morning."

"Good morning, daddy," Rory said quietly, clutching her robe tightly around her small frame. He only looked at her coldly,

"I'm going to the diner. Wake mom by seven." Without another word, he left. Rory sank into a kitchen chair and began to sob.

She had messed up this time. She knew that for sure.

Never once had her father not greeted her with a "Good morning, Princess. Did you sleep ok?"

Never once had she gotten up at 5:30 am to be looked at with disdain rather than concern.

Never once had she been left in the morning with such a cold goodbye from her daddy.

This time was different.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At six-thirty, Rory, covered in pancake batter, heard her cell phone ring from her bedroom. She ran to pick it up.

"He-hello?" she badly masked the fact that she had been crying.

"Ror? Are you ok?"

"Yeah... umm... I-I think I may've-ve caught a c-cold from being in the st-studio all night."

"Oh... how'd they take it?" She shrugged,

"I-I don't know... Th-they sent me r-right to bed. H-haven't talked to them since," she neglected to tell him about the incident that morning, "Y-you?"

"Terrible. They kept us up, yelling at us for an hour. We're grounded for three weeks each."

"I-I'm sure mine'll be w-worse."

"Maybe. What are you doing up so early?"

"You called me."

"But you were awake. I could tell. No cranky morning voice."

"I was c-cooking breakfast to comp-comp-compensate."

"You sound like Porky Pig."

"Not in the mood to joke. Why were you up?"

"Same, of course... Oh, I have to go. Mom's getting up."

"Good luck."

"You too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At seven o'clock, Rory woke Lorelai, as promised. Lorelai regarded his distantly, though she offered more affection than Luke had. Rory served her as she sat at the breakfast table. After fifteen minutes, Lorelai spoke up,

"Rory, sit down."

"No. N-no... I need to serve you."

"Rory, sit down."

"No. I don't deserve to sit. I deserve to be your slave."

"Rory, as good as that sounds, we need to have one of our famous Lorelai-to-Lorelai talks. Now, sit." Rory finally obliged and her mother started simply,

"What happened last night?" Rory shook her head,

"Nothing. I promise you, nothing."

"I know none of that happened. You were still in tact clothing and hair-wise and Lane and Seth were in the room. I know that's not plausible. But you need to tell me... what happened?"

"We fell asleep, mom. We turned on Al Green and we all fell asleep."

"Could you pick a less mellow CD next time?"

"I'll try..."

"Good... I need you to know that I'm not mad at you. I'm a little disappointed, but you have no priors and I trust you, so it should blow over with me shortly."

"Thanks, mom... Mom?"

"Yeah, sweets?"

"Daddy's..." Lorelai cut her off,

"Your father's gonna need a little more convincing."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the day was spent with chilly interactions between a nervous Rory and an angry Luke. Very few words were exchanged, and those that were were unpleasant. That night, Sandy joined Luke in the empty diner for a beer.

"They're grounded for three weeks," Sandy told Luke bluntly, "They tried to defend themselves... I kinda believe them."

"That's good," said Luke, obviously unwilling to discuss the topic.

"How'd Rory deal with it?"

"She didn't."

"She didn't?"

"No. You didn't see how it was with us today?"

"I did. I thought she defended herself and you were mad about that." Luke shook his head,

"No. I refuse to discuss this with her."

"Luke..."

"No, Sandy. No 'Luke...'. This isn't like the time she dropped a plate onto Taylor's niece when she tried to help even though I told her not to. This is bigger than that." Sandy inhaled and decidedly forged forward,

"Luke... I don't have any daughters."

"I know. If you did, this would be less worrisome to me than it is right now."

"I don't have any daughters. But did you know that I once realized that, if I had a daughter, I'd probably be just like you are with Rory. I'd be protective and her hero and her _daddy_ for her entire life. Not her dad. Not her father. Her _daddy_. I always emulated you, man. By emulating you, I realized stuff about you. You hate when Rory wears anything too big or too small. You love when she gets excited over tiny things. You hate when she's upset. And you really hate if there's any possibility that you caused it. And I also know that you never, _ever_ wanted to be in a situation where you weren't speaking to her. And I know that this, right now, is absolutely killing you. Think about it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke sat on the couch, watching a rerun of a baseball game on tv when Rory strolled quietly, her guard up, into the room.

"Daddy?" she said quietly.

"I'm watching a game, Rory."

"It's an old one. I've seen it with you before." Luke sighed,

"What, Rory?"

"I need to talk to you, daddy." Luke grunted his acknowledgement; he knew he needed to deal with this sooner or later.

She quickly took a seat on the opposite end of the couch,

"Daddy," she started immediately, "I need to tell you this. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or scare you. It was an accident," with every word, her voice grew weaker, breaking towards sobbing, "I never meant to make you... to make you so mad at me that you won't talk to me. Nothing happened. I promise you. I swear to you with every fiber of my being that nothing happened... I'm sorry, daddy..." Luke was silent for a full thirty seconds after the end of Rory's poignant rant before she blurted out, "Say something. Please." He sighed and looked at her,

"I believe you. I do. I know you're sorry and I know nothing happened and I know it was an accident. That doesn't change the fact that it happened... You scared the crap out of me, Rory. I actually saw _your_ life flash before my eyes. I was terrified that you were hurt or scared or alone somewhere. And then, when I found out you were out until three in the morning with a boy? It was a complete different terror... Your mom was exactly your age when..." Rory cut him off,

"I'm not gonna get pregnant."

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm too young to be a grandfather. I can't deal with you, all of a sudden, spending the night with Ryan."

"We didn't! We fell asleep!"

"I need you to be more careful, Rory. I need you to not let this happen again. I'm not gonna ground you, because you're obviously sorry enough as is... Let it drop." They were quiet for a minute before Rory squeaked out,

"Daddy, are we ok?"

"We're ok." She burst into tears and coughed out,

"I love you, daddy."

"I love you, too," He held her in his arms and sat there with her in silence for a little while before turning on the TV to the old baseball game and allowing her to fall asleep in his arms. As he saw her breathing even out, he muttered, "See, this you could've done last night. Save us all the hassle."


	24. Unexpected

_A/N- Ohhhh, I suck big time! I'm soooooooooooooooooo sorry! This past month has been ridiculously busy, I now have nineteen campers in my bunk and only two counselors, including me. My CITs all left. At the end of the day (When I'm not babysitting 3+ times a week), I'm simply too tired or too busy working on camp stuff to write. Or at least to write a lot. Hence, the fact that this chapter has been literally "in progress" for me for the past month. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the next chapter up soon. Camp ends this week, sadly. :(. I love camp. Plus, I love the fact that I got a $75 dollar tip from one of my campers who was only there for 7 weeks. Normally, senior counselors get $50 for a full eight-week camper, but I've been her counselor for three years and she and her parents love me. Good kid, too. Ok, I'm babbling._

_A/N 2- This chapter is ridiculously long. Just thought I'd mention that. Sorry._

_A/N 3- I loooooooooove the fact that I get reviews a month after my last update. Reviewssustenance. Remember that, people._

_A/N 4- Questions! Ok, so it goes smoothly sometimes, but it's supposed to be a sweet, humorous story. There's going to be a lot of conflict in upcoming chapters... there's one chapter I've had planned for literally four months. I'm gonna hopefully update soon. Crosses fingers... Those of you insinuating about the breakup? Remember that Ryan/Rory is my personal favorite couple in this story. Also remember thatI like subtler clues as to who's gonna break up, rather than in-your-face "BEEP! BEEP! BREAKUP OVER HERE!" clues... Jess will NOT be leaving the story. At least, not permanantly. Jess is waaay too much fun to play with as a character... The whole "in character" thing is a difficult subject for me, with this story. I feel like they, as characters, would have changed with the different circumstances presented in this story. I'll try harder to keep them closer to character, though... There WILL be Ryan/Tristan confrontation. It will (hopefully) be un-Deanlike. I just have to figure out where to put it. No worries. No fears... I'm not sure where I would put in Christopher drama. I'll see if I can work it in... Ok, that was long. But that's what I get for a whole frickin month. Sorry :)._

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew that the TV show in the last chapter was CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (The Las Vegas one). I watch that show religiously. That would be... a lot of people... rorgan fan, Kylie1403, BeatlechickSteph, BassClarinetSweetie, CommanderBubbles (Sorta), Bedros, Nindira, PeanutButterLuver1399, Harmmac82, Du Grey, Hold the Pickles! (Because I admire honesty), Queen of the Elven City, potostfbeyeluvr, Music4mysoul, my cousin Ally (Happy 14th bday, Ally!), Lali-chan, CrazyCanadianLLama, Rebecca, Dewster, and Sea4Shoes (Aka Chelsea, who apparently watches over my shoulder as I type). Holy crap, that was a long list._

_New Challenge: What movie are Ryan and Rory talking about and quoting in the first scene of the chapter? Same rules. What's different? Nothing._

_Disclaimer: I'm thrilled to get $75 from a camper of mine. You think I own The OC and Gilmore Girls? Doubt it._

Unexpected

"I think I've forgotten what you look like," Rory muttered into the phone, fingering through her cd collection.

"Stop," came the deep voice from the other end of the receiver.

"No, really. Are you the blonde one or the brunette?"

"Ror..."

"Ry, I feel like I haven't seen you in, like, forever."

"You sound like such a valley girl when you say that."

"I'm serious, Ryan," she pouted into the phone before realizing that her boyfriend couldn't see her; she frowned more before putting her cd into her stereo, Jason Mraz instantly babbling about something in rapid succession after she hit play.

"It's only been a week."

"Seven days of boredom."

"I have two more weeks to go before I get off of house arrest."

"Fourteen fun-filled days of wandering around town with my brother, Lane, and Ally, pulling a 'What do you want to do?'"

"You have other people to hang out with."

"Oh, right, let's see... There's Lane, who's constantly muttering something about how she misses Seth and 'Oh, I haven't seen his curls in a week. What if they're longer?'. Then there's Jess, who's been acting funny for days. I think he got into a fight with someone and he's not divulging any information. Ally's been acting weird around us since we started Chilton. Don't know what that's about. And I have to tell you, the twins? Believe it or not, they're not nearly as witty as you are."

"Surprising. I took that Josh for a comic mastermind."

"Not funny, Ryan. I feel like Bialystock without my Bloom."

"There, there," he waited for her to answer, which she did with an appropriate,

"Where? Where?" There was a short pause where neither one of them really had anything to say before Rory whined, "See, we're missing classic movie nights, too!"

"That movie will still be there come two weeks from now."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Did you see that episode of _Curb Your Enthusiasm_? Mel Brooks wanted to take it off Broadway! Who knows, maybe he'll pull every copy of the DVD in the tri-state area!"

"He was acting, Rory. He doesn't actually want to get rid of it."

"Says you." Ryan's eyebrows raised,

"Ok, let's move away from this topic because I don't like cranky Rory... anything interesting in your life lately?"

"If by interesting you mean disturbing..."

"I always do."

"I walked in on my parents making out on the couch the other day," There was a choking noise and Ryan coughing, "You ok?"

"Just gagged on my Coke there for a second... Hang on, I'll be ok," he coughed forcefully a few times before returning to the phone, "How'd you take it?"

"Freaked out. Ran out of the room. I believe I said something about how 'Four is enough and I really don't need any more siblings.'" Ryan laughed,

"Y'know, it could've been worse."

"Pray tell."

"They could've been having sex," Rory screamed into the phone and Ryan moved the earpiece away from his head, "Geez, Rory, warn a person before you break the sound barrier."

"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

"What? It's not like you don't know they do it. Exhibits A and B come in the form of Hannah and Josh."

"I _know _that. I'd just prefer not to think about it, thanks... Just for that... You know that your parents have sex, too." There was another gagging noise and a long pause before Ryan choked out,

"I hate you."

"Love you, too. I gotta go."

"Love you, even though you're the spawn of Satan."

"That's going on the wedding invitations," she joked.

"Bye."

"Bye."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth, studying his _Legion_ comic book (which he had carefully inserted into the history book he was supposed to be studying as part of his grounding), was startled by a knock behind him. He jumped up and pulled up his blinds, finding Lane's smiling face beaming at him from her seat on his roof.

Quickly yanking the window open, he stage-whispered,

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Seeing things from your point of view. I never thought _I'd_ be the one climbing trees to see _you._" He pulled her in through the window and gawked at her in disbelief,

"My dad's home. If he sees you, we're gonna be thirty by the time we have our next date."

"I know... it's just... I miss you... Your hair's gotten longer."

"Has it?" She nodded and leaned in to kiss him for the first time in a week, smiling into his lips,

"I'd have called you, but I'm banned from using the phone for two weeks."

"What?" asked Seth, panicked, "Did your mom find out? Does she know about us? Is it over? Oh, G-d, I knew I shouldn't have let you put in Al Green! Nirvana is always the answer after nine at night!"

"SETH! Relax! Don't you think that I'd be grounded from everything and not just the phone for longer than two weeks if my mother found out that not only have I been dating a non-Korean boy and not only have I been dating him for two years, but that I spent the night with him the other day? No. That girl, Anna, from my Christian studies class saw me walking down the street eating a candy bar the other day. She told her mom and her mom told my mom. Very big scandal."

"So you're still allowed out?"

"Yeah. I'm just not allowed to use the phone to call anyone, including 'Rory, those Satanic boys that the Danes' girl insists on talking to, or Mr. Hershey'. It was oddly specific."

"Your mom told you not to call 'Mr. Hershey'?"

"Believe it or not, I think she actually thinks that I got a Wonka bar from Willy himself." Seth laughed, but stopped short as he heard his father's gruff voice call him from down the hall,

"Seth!"

"Uh-oh," Lane breathed, turning to the window. Seth helped her out and kissed her quickly,

"Must do this again sometime soon."

"Definitely."

"Love you."

"You too." Before Lane got the chance to climb down the roof, Sandy entered Seth's room, and she quickly disappeared behind the wall.

"Seth, your mother called. She wants you to make sure you set the table by the time she comes home." Seth groaned,

"Couldn't Ryan do it?"

"Ryan did it yesterday. Your turn." Sandy wandered around the room, seemingly looking for something.

"Dad, could you do it for me?" He pleaded, watching his father move about with conviction.

"I could," Sandy began, "But then I'd have to tell your mom that Lane was here," Seth's mouth dropped open as Sandy stuck his head out the window, "Hey, Lane."

"Hey, Sandy. How's it hanging?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Dad... how did you..."

"Please, Seth, I've known Lane since she was six years old. I know her voice when I hear it down the hallway," Sandy chuckled. Seth tiptoed,

"And you're not gonna..."

"What, ground you more? No. I understand that you need to see your girlfriend at least once a week. Ryan at least sees Rory during school." Seth found it wisest not to point out that a wave and a mouthed 'Love you' twice a day in the hallway barely constituted 'seeing each other during school' (_Though they do get to see each other in the car or on the bus every day... _He thought bitterly).

"Thanks, Dad."

"You're welcome. Now go set the table before I change my mind." Seth nodded, waved to Lane, and quickly ducked out of the room. Lane sat, grinning ashamedly at Sandy, who only asked,

"How did you manage that climb?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai yawned as she flipped through the receipt books at the inn; Hannah had kept her up all night with a cold. She and Luke had taken turns comforting their youngest, even going so far as to move her crib into their bedroom, but to no avail. She had cried most of the night and spit up the infant Tylenol they had given her. Upon discovering that she had no temperature and calling the doctor, they decided just to allow her to stay with them for the night. Lorelai thought of Luke and wondered how he was doing with the twins at the diner; it was his day to watch them (They hadn't found a day care program that they liked yet).

The phone's lazy ring caught her attention and she quickly picked it up,

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking."

"Lorelai," came her mother's voice from the other end.

"Mom, hello," she instinctively sat up straighter, but then scolded herself for the reaction.

"I wanted to talk to you about the Christmas dinner this Friday."

"Ah, Christmas dinner." In the midst of Hannah being sick, Rory and Jess' hectic schedules, and making sure Josh didn't get sick as well, the prospect of the Christmas dinner hadn't entered her mind in nearly a week.

"You forgot," her mother sounded angry, but not surprised. _Lucky Jess,_ she thought somewhat bitterly,_ has the freedom to decide whether or not he wants to go to this. _The answer was obviously "no".

"Well mom, there's been a lot going on around here lately, your Christmas shindig's not exactly high on my list of things to obsess about."

"Well I'm sorry if the timing is bad, Lorelai, but the world doesn't always revolve around you." _Someone's still upset that I never go with Rory to those dinners... Hey, mom, newsflash? It doesn't revolve around you either. _Lorelai thought bitterly; her mother was always upset when she forgot "family functions" that inevitably consisted of very little family and very much function.

"Cocktails are at 6, dinner's at 8." _I shouldn't be drinking, and you know it._

"We probably won't be there for cocktails."

"Why not?"

"Because I have to work. And Hannah has a doctor's appointment."

"You can't leave work early?"

"No I can't."

"And you can't reschedule the appointment?"

"No, mom."

"Why not?"

"Because the doctor was nice enough to squeeze Hannah in at the last second, and she needs to see a doctor. She has a bad cold." Without hesitation, her mother coldly told her,

"Well then, don't come." Lorelai stopped what she was doing,

"What?"

"Don't come. It's obviously an enormous burden for you." _Oh-ho, you don't mean that._

"Yeah, but-"

"Just send Rory. And the twins if possible."

"You're telling me not to come to the Christmas party?"

"Well, you're obviously too busy."

"I had the German measles in the 5th grade, I still had to show up to the Christmas party."

"Lorelai, let's be honest here, you've been very stubborn lately with your refusal to come to Friday night dinners with Rory. You obviously don't want to be here, and I assume neither does your husband. Don't come."

"My polka dot dress matched my face and still, I had to sit through 12 courses."

"I am tired of forcing you to do all those terrible things that infringe upon your life and I do not have the energy to pretend that the way you've been treating me has been in any way acceptable."

"So you're uninviting me and Luke to Christmas dinner?"

"Yes I am."

"Fine," she said, feeling like a petulant three-year-old.

"Fine."

"Ok, anything else?"

"I believe that's all."

"Ok well, great, mom, it's been swell talking to you."

"Bye, Lorelai."

"Bye."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What are you doing this weekend?"

"Sandy and I are taking the boys to see his mother in New York. Why?" Lorelai sighed,

"I just needed to relax with some people who actually like me, is all."

"What happened?" Kirsten fiddled with the seatbelt in her car, tugging to free it from capture between the seat and the door.

"My mother."

"Oh. Emily happened."

"Yeah, Emily happened. She actually uninvited Luke and me to the Christmas party."

"The Christmas party?" Kirsten gasped, "But what about the Apple Tarts?"

"I'll have to live without them this year, I guess." Kirsten laughed,

"Liar. You're sending Rory with a big purse so she can take some home for you, aren't you?"

"Kirsten Cohen, you can read me like a book."

"I know."

"It's just... I've never been uninvited before. Unwanted, sure, but never uninvited."

"You're really upset about this, aren't you?"

"Yeah! I mean, not only is it the twins' first Christmas..." Kirsten cut her off,

"Or their first two weeks before Christmas."

"Exactly. Not only is it that, and they should spend it with family and the apple tarts, but I feel like... what's really bothering me is that I think I want to go."

"No you don't. It's the inability to go that's making you want to go. I think you should just spend a quiet night at home with the twins and Jess and Luke and just relax. Ok?"

"But-"

"No buts. You're going to stay with your husband and children and that's final."

"Yes, Mommy Kirsten."

"Good. I have to go. I think Ryan and Seth are planning their escape from this weekend."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"Bye."

"Bye."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai whisked into the diner, unable to locate her husband. As the door slammed behind her (she hadn't meant to slam it, but when she let go to allow it to close, the wind had blown it shut), she heard Josh's stressed cries come from a bassinet in the corner of the diner. She quickly ran to him and picked him up,

"Hi, baby. You're ok. You're ok... Mommy missed you today, handsome," she soothed his cries, "In fact, mommy coulda used those baby blues of yours today. Too late now, though," she bent down and kissed her son's forehead as she heard Luke's bounding footsteps descend the stairs, "Hi."

"Oh, good, it's you." Lorelai gave him a puzzled look,

"You were expecting J.Lo?" He shook his head, readjusting Hannah in his arms,

"No, it's just that I heard Josh crying and then he stopped and I thought maybe someone picked him up. I was trying to avoid another Kirk fiasco."

"Oh, right. That was possibly the scariest five minutes of my life. I never want to relive my son having to dance in a sequin jumpsuit to 'I Will Survive' with the town odd-jobsman."

"Is odd-jobsman a word?" Lorelai shrugged and sat down,

"Don't know."

"Hey, are you ok?" Lorelai glanced up sheepishly at her husband,

"No."

"What's wrong?"

"Emily."

"Oh. What happened this time?" he asked, sitting on the stool next to her, bouncing Hannah lightly in his arms.

"We're uninvited to the Christmas Party." Luke nodded,

"Mm-hmm..." When no more came, he responded, "That's it?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Lorelai, that's no big deal. We'll spend the night as a family instead. You, me, Rory, Jess, and the twins. Just sit around and watch TV together." Lorelai shook her head,

"Rory and the twins are still invited. Jess was never going to go. It's just you and me that are uninvited."

"Oh... I'm still not sensing the problem here."

"Look, it's just... I've never been uninvited. To anything. Ever. I was always forced to these stupid things and... I don't know..."

"Well... do you want to call her and talk about it?"

"No," she said forcefully, "If she doesn't want me there, I'm not gonna beg. I'm not gonna give her that satisfaction."

"So then we'll hang out together. I'm not sure what I can do about coverage for Saturday, but you can hang out upstairs and I'll stay up there with you, Jess, and the twins."

"Jess has plans with Ally."

"Then it'll be you, me, Hannah, and Josh. Unless they're going clubbing?"

"Hannah did mention something..." Luke cut her off with a glance, "Ok."

"Alright. Problem solved." He kissed her lightly on the lips and went back upstairs to put a now-sleeping Hannah in her nursery, hoping that Lorelai's downcast look would pass.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"But, mooom," Ryan whined as the car pulled up to the apartment where his grandmother and other senior citizens lived.

"No, Ryan."

"Mom, please..."

"No."

"It's not fair, though..."

"Ryan Nicholas, I said no. Now are you going to stop acting like a five-year-old, or do I need to spell it out on your Lite-Brite?" Ryan groaned and turned to his father,

"Dad?"

"You'll do as your mother says. You're in trouble enough as is. Don't push it." Ryan sighed exaggeratedly and leaned back against his seat,

"This sucks."

"Ryan, why can't you be excited about visiting the Nana?"

"Because she terrifies me."

"Seth's excited, and when he was little, he used to hide in a corner under a blanket when the Nana came to visit."

"Seth's not excited to see the Nana. He's excited to see all of his friends in 'Building 4A, for the young at heart'." Seth looked up from fidgeting with his iPod and punched Ryan in the arm,

"Hey, Sylvia's got the energy of a 60-year-old!" Ryan decided to go in for it one more time,

"Mom, I have no interest in Sylvia and her energy level. _You _don't want to be here either. You could go out and do something. Tell the Nana you took me out. You're sure you won't reconsider?"

"Ryan, you are sixteen years old and already grounded for spending the night with your girlfriend," when Ryan made a noise to protest, she added, "however accidental. You are not going to CBGB's alone on a Saturday night. And that's final." He grunted, folded his arms over his chest, and glared petulantly out of his backseat driver's side window. Just then, the car pulled to a stop and his father honked the horn to announce their arrival. His parents piled out of the car, going to the trunk to pull out their bags as the Nana came slowly out the front door.

"Making an old woman come to greet you? I suppose you'll make me carry the bags in, too?" Kirsten begrudgingly lifted the bags out of the trunk, an angry frown on her face as Seth stifled a laugh, Ryan remained motionless, and her husband turned to greet his mother,

"It's good to see you, too, Ma."

"Sandy, you look pale. Are you eating well? Sleeping well? Working well? Everything ok at home?"

"I'm fine, Ma. Kirsten's the miracle worker around the house, balancing everything and still managing to organize this trip to visit you," he pleaded without conveying it in his voice.

"Mm-hmm."

"Hello, Sophie. How have you been?"

"Old. Busy."

"Well... that's quite a life you live there..." Seth stepped out of the car,

"Nanelah!"

"Sethela, how are you, my grandson who never calls me or writes me?"

"Umm... behind on the times?"

"And where's your brother, who at least picks up the phone when I call, even though he passes it right off as soon as he picks up?"

"What?"

"Ryan. Where's my other grandson?" Kirsten peeked her head into the open window in the backseat,

"Your grandmother's looking for you, Ryan. You'd better get out here." He begrudgingly opened his door and stepped out, plastering on a fake smile,

"Hi, Nana."

"Ryan," she said, hugging her grandson, "How's living the fast life in Connecticut?"

"Quiet... but I like it." She studied his blue eyes,

"What's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"What's wrong? You don't look well. What's the matter?"

"Nothing, Nana. I'm fine."

"You are not. Don't lie to me."

"I'm not..." Kirsten cut him off,

"He's upset because I won't let him out on his own in New York City." Ryan carefully avoided everyone's eye, glaring at the sidewalk. Surprisingly, the Nana asked,

"Well, why not?" Ryan looked up at the Nana, his mouth agape in appreciative silence.

"Because he's sixteen."

"And? Sandy was wandering the streets of New York City when he was nine."

"Dad, you were a latch key kid?"

"Later, Seth."

"Kirsten, they're not going to be babies forever. You can't keep them that way."

"I'm not... he's not... I just thought he should spend time with you. He never gets to see you," she lied through her teeth.

"He can be a normal teenager if he wants."

"Thanks, Nana, I think I'm..." he stopped himself upon seeing the furious glare in his mother's eye; it was in his and Rory's best interests that he not piss her off, "just gonna stay and hang out with you. I mean, I can go out with kids my own age anytime."

"You're sure?" With a final glance at his mother, he nodded and sighed,

"I'm sure."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I wish you'd change your mind."

"It's not my mind that needs to be changed." Rory watched Lorelai sit crankily on the sofa in the den, flipping through a two-month-old copy of _Vogue_.

"I don't think she meant it."

"Oh, she meant it."

"Well maybe she thinks she meant it at the time, but I bet she won't mean it later when I show up there without you or the twins." Lorelai scrunched up her nose and stared at her daughter,

"And without a map to follow that reasoning I say, 'Take a hat, it's cold outside'."

"You just wanna hold a grudge." Rory disappeared into her room to grab her purse.

"Yes, it burns more calories. Dad's starting to encourage it."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is, how do you think your grandma got those legs of hers? She's not exactly a Stairmaster gal," Lorelai smirked to herself at the thought of Emily Gilmore dressed in workout shorts and a sports bra, sweat pouring down her back, her hair pulled messily through the back of a worn-in hat as she worked out on a Stairmaster with other sweaty women.

"Mom."

"Never saw her on the running track." Again, a funny image of her mother covered in sweat entered her mind.

"Ok," Rory tried to stop her mother.

"I don't remember the country club organizing a Tae-bo class." That was the funniest to Lorelai; her mother kicking into thin air, being led by an overly-muscular man named Burl? Very unlikely. And very amusing.

"Fine, forget it. Should I put your names on Grandma's present?"

Yes, sign it 'the inn keeper formally known as her daughter, her blue-collar husband, and their indigent children'." Rory sighed,

"Indigent?"

"Can you think of a better word?"

"You know what I think?"

"What?"

"I think you're acting a little immature."

"Well, then, your brother and sister are rubbing off on me."

"Mom, why are you acting like this?"

"I'm not acting."

"Well, what about the apple tarts? You wait all year for those apple tarts."

"I can live without the apple tarts."

"You've made up songs after eating five of them with lyrics that contradict that last statement."

"Rory..."

"You've pissed off dad to the point of him not giving you coffee for a week after telling him that he doesn't have the talent to make the apple tarts."

"Ro..."

"I once asked you which you loved more, me and Jess or the apple tarts, and it took you ten seconds to answer with a very hesitant 'me and Jess'."

"Oh, you know what? You have to go, you're late."

"You really won't come?"

"What? I'm sorry, is somebody speaking? Couldn't be Rory, she's already halfway to Hartford."

"Fine, I'm going. Give Josh and Hannie a kiss for me."

"Drive carefully. Watch out for ice. And bring me back one of those," but before she could finish her sentence, the door slammed closed. To Rory's now invisible back, she screamed, "Tarts!"

A half an hour later, Rory arrived at her grandparents' house, sans family, lugging a large gift up to the front door. She rang the doorbell and was quickly answered by the door swinging open to reveal her grandparents and four of their friends.

"Rory, come in. You look lovely."

"This is from me, mom, dad, Jess, and the twins." _That list has gotten long._

"Well, aren't you thoughtful. I'll just put it under the tree."

"You know, mom actually picked it out." Emily ignored her,

"Hannah and Joshua didn't come?"

"Umm... no, Hannie was sick all week and mom and dad didn't want Josh getting sick in the cold." Emily nodded,

"That's a shame... Rory, do you know Holland Prescott?"

"I met her last year." Her grandmother led her into the den, to a woman sitting, sipping her drink on the sofa,

"Holland, look who's here."

"Hello, Rory." In the background, Rory could hear her grandfather arguing in aggravation with his business associates, but tried to stay out of his work-related conversation. After a moment, Emily made her presence known,

"Richard, Alan, look who's here."

"Hello, Rory."

"Hi." Alan scanned her up and down, as if appraising her (She knew, had her family been there, Jess would've been laughing, her father would've whisked her away, and her mother would've made a comment about being "sent out for shipping".),

"Where's your mother and father?"

"Oh, well, they..." Rory stammered, but Alan ignorantly answered his own question,

"Over by the apple tarts, I assume." He gave an arrogant, hearty laugh as Emily answered,

"Lorelai and Luke couldn't come tonight."

"They couldn't?" _She didn't tell Grandpa? Not what I expected..._

"No, the babies weren't feeling well. They decided to stay home and make sure they were alright."

"Shame. I wanted to meet the babies. I heard that little girl looks a lot like you." Rory blushed,

"Oh, well, she looks more like my dad..." Richard gave Emily a perplexed glance,

"But couldn't Luke have taken care of Josh and Hannah? Why couldn't Lorelai come?"

"Oh, well, she had to work late also." Rory noted how seamlessly her grandmother lied as her grandfather ranted,

"Ah. Speaking of which, I'm going to give that man a call." _Grandpa's really worked up over whatever's going on._ She zoned out on their conversation before she realized that Emily was beginning out of the room,

"Grandma, could I talk to you alone, please?" Emily breezed past the request,

"You need something to drink."

"I want to explain about mom and dad..."

"Rory, please, this is a party."

"They're just really busy," she forged on, "with me, and Jess, and Hannah and Josh, and the inn and the diner, they just really don't have time to take one day a week..." Emily stopped her,

"This is not the time or place to discuss this, your parents should have taught you that."

"Please don't be mad at them."

"I'm not mad at anyone. Now go back in and join the party."

"But..." Emily cut her off, waving her hand and thrusting a silver object of some sort into her hand,

"And take this to Gigi on your way back."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan, Seth, Sandy, Kirsten, and the Nana sat around the Nana's cramped dining room table. As the adults talked, Seth continually tried to get Ryan to converse in whispered, silent conversation, but Ryan's perpetually bad mood seemed to be determined to stay in place (unless talking to the Nana, in which case it was replaced by a forced smile and false politeness).

"I don't see the point of reality television," Sophie grumbled, "There is no way in any reality that sixteen people would get stranded on a desert island together and then vote each other off the island."

"Ma, it's called 'reality television' because they're 'real' people. It's unscripted to some extent. The reality of what they're saying is what's reality."

"I still think it's a waste of time and programming. I..." suddenly, a Musak version of Queen's _Bicycle Race_ grew louder from under the table. The adults all looked at Seth, who raised his hands in defense,

"Mine plays _Fat Bottomed Girls_."

"Good song," nodded Sandy as Ryan grinned in embarrassment,

"That's me, sorry," he pulled it out and saw _Rory_ flashing from the screen. He shot a pleading glance at his mother, who shook her head vehemently,

"Shut it off, Ryan. Call her back later."

"What? Who is it?"

"It's my girlfriend, Nana. I haven't seen her in a few days and she's probably just calling to say hi," As angry as he was, Ryan was still one of the most obedient teenagers either of his parents had ever met; when his mother said no, he listened and covered if anyone was looking on, "I can talk to her later."

"No, pick up the phone."

"What?" asked both Ryan and Kirsten at once, both in incredulity and confusion.

"Pick up the phone. If your girlfriend is calling you, she obviously needs to talk to you."

"Oh, no, Nana, it's really ok," he knew his mother would not be happy should he pick up the phone in the middle of dinner with his grandmother.

"Nonsense. I said pick it up. Now pick it up. Go into the kitchen, though; we don't need to hear the kissy noises you make to her." With a parting, sorrowful glance at his mother, who looked defeated, he flipped open the phone and wandered into the kitchen,

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey, what's up?"

"I'm sorry to call you when you're with your nana."

"It's ok."

"I mean, I'm sure she's not happy to let you pick up the phone when you're supposed to be with her."

"You'd think that, wouldn't you? I think, because my mom's trying to stay on her good side, she's saying the opposite of what my mom's saying. So she told me to pick up."

"Oh... how's Kirsten handling it?"

"Not well. She'll need to talk to your mom when she gets back."

"She should talk to my dad. He knows the cranky, angry in-law thing better than anyone."

"Dinner with the grandparents not going ok?"

"I'm hiding in the library. Anytime anyone mentions mom or dad or even the twins, Grandma gets all defensive and starts lying about why they aren't here. And mom won't even talk to Grandma."

"Ror, it's always been this way."

"Not this bad. To some extent, yeah, but at least they used to be able to talk to each other without the look in their eyes they get when they see a dead spider."

"Can you talk to them?"

"Have you ever tried to talk Lorelai Danes out of something she's set her mind to?"

"Yeah. Remember the time she wanted to get your dad to go to New York City to get her a deep-dish pizza when she was pregnant?"

"How could I forget? It was two hours of 'Thin crust? No Cheese? I think not! Luuuucas!'" Ryan laughed,

"That was a good day."

"That it was."

"It's just... she gets it from my grandma. They're so similar. I'm convinced that it's why they fight so much."

"Probably."

"So... any advice?"

"I don't know... fake your own kidnapping? That'd have to hit home with them both, maybe strike a similarity cord?" Rory shrugged,

"I don't think my dad would appreciate that. Hannah would be going on dates before I would be allowed to again." He sighed and paused as he was thinking,

"I'm not really sure what to tell you to do..."

"That's ok," he could hear that she was disappointed, but there was nothing he could do about it, "Just having you to talk to helps... having anyone to talk to who isn't biased helps."

"Ok. I should go. I'll tell the family you say hi."

"Thanks. Love you."

"You too."

"Bye." He flipped the phone closed and reentered the kitchen, where his family was sitting expectantly.

"So?"

"So what?"

"How's Cori?" Ryan rolled his eyes slightly,

"Rory, Nana. Her name's Rory."

"She's ok. She's just having some family stuff." Kirsten and Sandy looked concerned,

"What's wrong?"

"Is Luke ok? Is Lorelai ok? Are the twins and Jess ok?" Kirsten's voice became more high-pitched with each word she spoke.

"Everyone's fine."

"Then what's wrong?"

"It's an Emily thing." Kirsten sighed,

"Makes sense. Did she get into a fight with Luke again?"

"No. Lorelai this time. Said she didn't want her coming to the Christmas dinner." Sandy gasped,

"What about the apple tarts?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure Rory's bringing some home for her," chimed Seth. Sophie's eyes went wide,

"I'm sorry, who are we talking about?" Ryan looked at her,

"Oh, sorry Nana. It's my girlfriend's family."

"Who are the twins? And Jess?"

"Her brothers and sister."

"What? When did her parents have more kids? When I met her a few years ago, she was an only child. How old are they?"

"The twins? Hannah and Josh are three months old."

"And Jessica?"

"Jess, Nana," Seth corrected.

"He's a month older than Ryan, Seth, and Rory, ma," Sandy answered her question."

"He?"

"Yeah. Her brother, Jess."

"What kind of a name is 'Jess' for a boy? And how can he be a month older than them?"

"It's Jess like 'Jesse', Sophie. They just left out the 'e' at the end."

"And he's actually, biologically, Luke's nephew. But they took him in when he was ten and they're going to adopt him."

"Oh. That's wonderful. And I remember, last time I was there, the house was clean and the girl was well-behaved. Is it still the case?"

"Yeah, ma."

"How nice. Maybe they could help you, Kirsten."

Seth and Ryan's eyes went wide and they stole a look at each other, communicating silently.

_Oh crap. _

This won't end well.

"Ma!" Sandy's eyes blazed with fury.

"I mean, don't get me wrong. The boys are well-behaved. It's just the house..."

"Ma, that's enough!" Sophie was taken aback at the tone in her son's voice,

"Sandy!"

"Ma, you can't talk to my wife that way! Kirsten works herself to the bone day in and day out and the house is always spotless!" Sophie stared at Sandy, mirroring the determination evident in his eyes,

"Last time I was there, Seth's room was incomparably messy."

"Seth's room is Seth's responsibility. He knows that. He cleans it, a big clean-up job, once a week. You came for a surprise visit and he hadn't cleaned his room yet. If it's not clean, then he loses privileges. He and Ryan both know that. But don't you blame the boys' messy rooms on Kirsten. We both work too hard, at two full-time jobs each to be on top of them for every little thing. Kirsten does the best she can and I must say, I'm impressed. It's turning out better than I thought it would before we opened the ice cream store." There was silence for a moment as the boys stared at their plates in shock at their father's outburst, Sophie glared at a clock ticking lazily behind Sandy's head, and Kirsten's hand reached over and quietly found Sandy's under the table.

Everyone was startled as Sophie spoke,

"I'm sorry, Kirsten. That was out of line... I apologize."

"That's ok, Sophie." Another awkward pause.

"So... how is Kandy's doing, anyway?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey," Lorelai greeted grumpily as she entered the diner.

"Hi," Luke responded, leaning over to kiss her hello lightly, "Jess just brought the twins back. They're upstairs, asleep."

"Ok," she said without enthusiasm.

"He told me he brought them over to Ally's. He said she's been distant lately. Maybe you should talk to him about that? Girl problems, I mean." She shrugged,

"I'll ask him about it."

"Hannah smiled at me today when I said her name."

"Really? Good." Every word she spoke lacked exuberance; Luke became irritated,

"Lorelai, you really need to get over this."

"Our daughter smiling? Yeah, I should," She joked flatly.

"You know what I mean. You're both hurt. It'll blow over and you know it."

"Yeah... maybe... I don't know." He sighed and turned away,

"I'll get your burger."

"Wait. Can I see a menu?"

"You need to see a menu?"

"Yes."

"You come here every day. Technically, half of this is yours. Our three-month-olds know what's on the menu already." She sighed,

I know, but I usually get the same thing, and tonight I'm in the mood for something a little different." He rolled his eyes at his wife,

"Menu."

"Piece of paper, list of food offered."

"Ok, here," he reached behind the counter to grab menu and handed it to her, "It's not in Japanese."

"Don't you have any kind of holiday special? Something festive?"

"I just got some Grey Poupon. That's French." She sighed again,

"I'll have a burger."

"Coming right up."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat quietly at the dinner table, playing a new game she'd invented. _What if They Were Here_ involved anyone she'd rather spend time with. In any situation, she replaced her grandma's pretentious friends with her own friends and family.

She envisioned her mother making faces at her and Jess across the table whenever Emily wasn't looking, looking angelic as soon as Emily turned around. She imagined her father talking business and life with Richard, shooting threatening, yet joking glances occasionally as Rory and Jess tried to distract him from behind Richard, jumping up and down and dancing. She thought of how Ryan and Seth would play silent games under the table, how Sandy and Kirsten would pull Luke and Lorelai over repeatedly to tell them their sarcastic observations on the party, and how the twins would be passed from person to person, though they'd become fussy and the teenagers would excuse themselves to take care of the babies in her mother's old bedroom.

As it was, however, she was the only one under the age of forty at the party, and she was bored out of her skull at the dinner table as the adults made polite conversation,

"Emily, you've outdone yourself yet again."

"Yes, I can't imagine the hours you spent slaving over a hot stove."

"You're teasing me, Alan." Rory tapped her foot nervously, if only to keep herself entertained.

"It's delicious, Emily."

"A compliment for my chef is a compliment for me, thank you Alan."

"Your father's a chef, isn't he, Rory?" asked Gigi.

"Well, he owns a diner, but he can cook gour..." Richard cut her off,

"I, for one, would like to know where Henry is at this hour. Probably gallivanting around London like a bull out to stud."

"Richard, please," Emily glared at him.

"Well, how is he supposed to negotiate the contract tomorrow morning if he's been out at all hours with some cheap tramp?"

"Knowing Henry, she wasn't cheap," Alan joked as Rory giggled.

"This is wildly inappropriate dinner conversation especially in front of a young lady." Richard began to fiddle with his collar,

"Is it unbearably hot in here?"

"Richard, don't loosen your tie at the table."

"So, what are your plans for the Christmas holidays, Rory?"

"I'll probably just be hanging out around Stars Hollow. My mom and I have some shopping days planned, just the two of us."

"Oh, it's such a shame she couldn't come, she's always such a kick."

"Lorelai wasn't feeling well, so I suggested she stay home." Rory noted Emily's slip in her lie, but couldn't point anything out as Richard muttered,

"It is hot in here, I'm going to lower the thermostat."

"Poor thing, what's wrong with her?"

"She has a touch of the flu. Richard, forget the thermostat!" Gigi apparently noticed Emily's mess-up,

"I thought you said she was working?"

"Well she was supposed to work, but then she caught the flu, so one way or another she couldn't have made it."

"Tell her we missed her. And that we wanted to see those babies."

"I will." _I can't promise she won't make fun of you, though._

"Richard! For heaven sake," Emily got up to go retrieve her husband, "Richard!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai looked up as her husband slid a hamburger under her nose. She couldn't help but giggle as she took in the sight of the burger and bun,

"What did you do?" Luke shrugged,

"You wanted something festive." She looked at him, admiration evident in her eyes,

"You made me a Santa burger." He shook his head,

"It's not big deal."

"He has a hat and everything."

"Yeah, I just cut a piece of wonder bread, you know, poured a little ketchup, piped on a little cream cheese." She grinned at him and kissed him lightly,

"No one has ever made me something quite this disgusting before."

"You gave birth to my kids. It's the least I can do, to make you something that will make you vomit later."

"Thank you, honey."

"You're welcome." As she smiled down at the Santa burger, her cell phone began to ring from her purse. She grimaced as Luke pointed to the 'No Cell Phones' sign,

"What?"

"Outside!"

"Are you kidding? It's like the North Pole out there."

"Hey, this sign isn't just a decoration."

"I remember. You were the one who put it up when we were redecorating."

"When you _made_ me redecorate."

"It disturbs the other customers."

"But the other customers didn't give you the kids."

"Yeah, and the kids you gave me kept me up half the night last night."

"So, what you're telling me is that our children are worth a Santa burger, but not a mild interruption?"

"Lorelai..." he said warningly. She stuck her tongue out and ignored his glare, going to pick up her phone, though it stopped ringing,

"Perfect, Now I have to check my voice mail." Luke's angry gaze was redirected momentarily, though, as Taylor and a group of carolers entered the diner, singing joyously.

"Whoa, what's going on?"

"Well we were caroling around town and we got a bit chilly and we thought maybe we could trade you a song for some hot chocolate." Luke's eyes got narrow,

"You want free hot chocolate?"

"No, no, we'll sing for it, any tune you like. Or maybe your wife would like to choose?"

"You sing and then I give you free hot chocolate?" Taylor nodded,

"Yes."

"Not a chance. You want hot chocolate, you pay. I have four kids, all growing, and songs don't pay for anything." Luke jumped as Lorelai gasped behind him,

"Oh my G-d!" Taylor ignored Lorelai's shock and forged on,

"These are your neighbors, Luke!"

"Shut up, Taylor," he turned to his wife, "What's going on?" She looked up at him, tears threatening to spill over,

"My father's in the hospital."

"What?"

"Yeah, he collapsed or something. I don't know. I need to go... I need to go to the hospital... I need to talk to Rory... Where's the phone? I need... can anyone give me... I'm holding a phone."

"Lorelai, you need to calm down, honey."

"No. I can't calm down. I need... I need to use your car. Where are the keys? Did you forget them at home? Are they upstairs? And the twins... and Jess... Where are all of my kids!"

"I'll take you." She shook her head,

"But, there's food and there's people and there's a burger with a face." Luke shook his head and quickly ran upstairs, returning in a moment with Hannah and Josh in their individual carseats in each hand,

"Ok, everybody out! We're closed, let's go. Food's on me," he turned to Lorelai and placed the carseats down on the counter, "Put on your coat, wrap the twins up, and get your stuff," he turned to Taylor, "Taylor, have your hot chocolate and then lock up," he turned back to his wife, "C'mon, the truck's out back."

"What about Jess?"

"We'll go pick him up. Call his cell phone."

"Luke, I'm..." He cut her off, taking Josh's carseat in his hand,

"I know. Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai sat anxiously in the front seat of the truck, Jess, Hannah, and Joshua in the back seat,

"Look." Luke glanced at her in frustration,

"Relax."

"We're being passed by senior citizens."

"I'm going as fast as I can."

"Bye, Grandma, bye."

"There's ice on the road, those people aren't being safe. Our children in the car. You don't want them getting hurt, do you?"

"No, but only three are in the car. I'd like to get to the fourth before she thinks we forgot her."

"Mom," Jess said tentatively, "It's not safe. We'll..." Lorelai cut him off,

"Jess Michael Mariano, you do not want to finish that sentence. I am very nervous right now and you do not want to mess with me." Jess raised his hands in defeat and leaned back to comfort Hannah, who was fussing slightly in her seat.

"Lorelai, c'mon, I know you're nervous, but Jess is trying to help..." Lorelai ignored him as she dialed her voicemail again, "You checked it five times already, I've listened to it twice, it's not changing." Lorelai made a noise of disgust,

"'Grandpa's in the hospital, please come.' No details, no info. Who taught her to leave a message like that?"

"She was in a hurry. She was nervous."

"Was it you? Did you teach her to leave a message like that?"

"Lorelai..."

"A person needs details. Why is he in the hospital? How bad is it? What are the circumstances involving him being in the hospital? These are simple questions."

"We'll be there very soon and we'll know everything."

"What if he's dead?"

"He's not dead."

"How do you know?"

"I know.

"Oh, you're psychic now? You're suddenly getting visions while you're driving 20 mph in the oldest truck known to man?" There was an awkward pause in which Luke was sure he heard Jess whisper to Josh and Hannah '_Mommy's lost her mind tonight. I'm sorry, guys.'_ After a moment, Lorelai reconsidered,_ "_I'm sorry. You're killing yourself to get me there and I'm yelling at you. I don't mean it."

"I know. Trust me, I know when you mean it."

"I don't want Hannah and Josh to miss out on having a grandfather. I mean, if I needed him, he was always there for Rory. I don't want him to not be there for the twins," she paused before admitting, "I feel like this is one of those moments when I should be remembering all the great times I had with my dad, you know? The time he took me shopping for a Barbie or to the circus or fishing... and my mind is a complete blank."

"You must have at least one of those memories," he thought of the way Richard was with the twins- caring and always willing to play.

"No, I don't. We never did any of that. He went to work, he came home, he read the paper, he went to bed, I snuck out the window. Simple. He was a very by-the-numbers guy. I was never very good with numbers."

"He loves you."

"Y'know... my dad is not a bad guy."

"No, he's not."

"He lived his life the way he thought he was supposed to. He followed the rules taught to him by his non-fishing-non-Barbie-buying dad. He worked hard. He bought a nice house. He provided for my mom. All he asked in return was for his daughter to wear white dresses and go to cotillion and want the same life that he had. What a disappointment it must have been for him to get me."

"Lorelai, you are not a disappointment."

"You've bought Barbies for Rory... well, I mean, the teacher Barbie. She never was really into that, was she?" Luke couldn't help but grin,

"No, she wasn't."

"See, you're a great dad."

"You're a great mom." He caught Jess nodding slightly down at the twins out of the corner of his eye as she scoffed,

"Yeah. It's just the uh, daughter part I don't have down yet." Luke sighed,

"We're almost there... That Camaro is dust."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Mom!" Lorelai called, rounding the corner as Luke and Jess, pushing the babies' stroller, panted behind her. Emily's eyes went wide,

"Lorelai!"

"What's going on? How is he?" Emily seemed shocked,

"You came!"

"Of course we came. How's dad?" Emily rolled her eyes,

"That's what I've been trying to find out but this woman keeps pestering me with idiotic questions like 'What's the number of my insurance policy and how long have we had it?'" The nurse looked pleadingly at Lorelai,

"I need to get this information."

"You _need _to get sensitivity training!" spat Emily as Lorelai jumped in,

"Well, what if I fill out this information and you can go find someone who can tell us how my dad is."

"I'm not supposed to..."

"Or, I could go and you can stay here and continue to discuss this with my mother." The nurse looked at Emily with guarded malice before agreeing,

"I'll go."

"Thank you." Emily watched on in amazement as the nurse's retreating figure became smaller,

"You got rid of her."

"Yes, so tell me what happened."

"That's amazing."

"Mom, please..." Emily noticed that her daughter was completely serious and began to explain,

"I don't know what happened. He was hot and he went to turn down the thermostat and then..." she seemed to have noticed Jess, Luke, and the twins for the first time, "You brought the children?"

"What?"

"The twins and Luke's nephew. You brought them?"

"Yeah, mom. We were spending the night, me, Luke, and the twins. Then we went and picked up Jess from his..." She saw Jess' glare, "friend's house and we came right here."

"Which is her way of saying we brought the kids."

"Is there a problem with that?"

"No, it's just... it's a hospital. It's not the safest place for them to be."

"Mom..."

"I mean, it's very germy..."

"Mom..."

"They can get very sick..."

"Mom, they were born in a hospital three months ago. There's doctors on-hand. It's safe for them if we keep them close."

"I just assumed..."

"I wasn't leaving my kids home. Not tonight."

"Alright."

"Is the doctor here?"

"Yes, Joshua got here a while ago. He was supposed to come back the minute he knew something but he hasn't been back yet." Jess looked puzzled and asked Luke,

"Dad? Josh is a doctor?" Luke shook his head and cuffed his son lightly,

"Shh. Your mother's in crisis mode."

"Well, let's go find him," Lorelai said confidently. Emily shook her head,

"You can't find him! You can't find anyone! Everyone just keeps disappearing behind those doors!" Lorelai glanced back and forth from the doors to her mother,

"Well, c'mon, let's go." She forged through the doors as Emily watched after her in shock,

"I didn't know you could do that," she followed her daughter through the doors as Luke said,

"We'll wait here." Just then, Rory appeared through the elevator doors, shocked at what she found,

"Dad!" Luke looked up and stood up to greet his daughter, wrapping comforting arms around her,

"Hi, princess. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine... Why are Jess and the twins here?"

"Your mom's losing her mind a little and she wanted us all in one place tonight."

"Oh... ok... Did they find out more about grandpa?"

"Not yet, but mom and grandma just went to go find out," For the first time, she looked directly into Luke's eyes, and he noticed the tears beginning to fall down her cheeks, "What's wrong, Ror?"

"I don't want him to die, daddy." He hugged her tighter and kissed her head,

"He won't, princess. He's got you and your siblings to live for. He loves you all too much."

"I'm... I'm scared, daddy."

"It's ok. You can be scared. I won't tell anyone." He winked at her and she allowed herself a quiet laugh,

"Thanks." Just then, Lorelai burst back through the double doors,

"Rory!"

"Mom!"

"Hey, you! Hi."

"It was horrible! It happened so fast," she wriggled out of her father's grip and ran to her mother, throwing her arms around her.

"They're about to bring him out of the big test room any minute so just hang in there." Luke sat back down and picked up a now-awake Joshua, rocking him slowly, looking only into his big blue eyes.

"Where's Grandma?" Lorelai grinned,

"Kicking some patient out of the room with the good view." Rory's eyes went wide,

"Really?"

"You're surprised?" Rory chuckled sadly before asking,

"So... how long before they bring him back?"

"Very soon."

"I'd like to do something..."

"Like rollerblade?" Lorelai saw Jess laugh quietly and pick up Hannah, placing a bottle in her mouth.

"Like get some coffee or make phone calls or do something that isn't standing here waiting."

"You could play with your brother and sister."

"I want to help Grandpa."

"Go ahead. As partial as I am to the phone, I'm voting for the 'get coffee' idea."

"Ok, good. Daddy, Jess, tea?"

"Ah, peppermint preferably," her father said, his eyes darting quickly from his youngest son to his eldest daughter. Jess shook his head,

"Soda, Ror." She nodded,

"I'll be right back." Lorelai grabbed Rory's hand before she walked away,

"Hey, he's gonna be fine."

"I was just getting to know him." Lorelai nodded,

"I know."

"Hannie and Josh will miss out if he..."

"He won't."

"I don't want him to..."

"He's not," Luke and Lorelai said together, Luke having just moved behind her, staring intently at Rory. Lorelai smiled at her daughter and instructed her,

"Go get your coffee," as Rory left, she plopped down in Luke's now-vacated seat, "Oh man!"

"You're being very brave for her."

"Yeah, well it's my turn. G-d, this sucks."

"Hey, come on, you gotta think positive here - bright side, good thoughts. Hannah, Josh, rainbows, unicorns, clowns, little cute...furry... ok, I'm out." Jess couldn't help but snigger,

"Rainbows and unicorns, dad? You couldn't have added Barney and Teletubbies?"

"Well, I'm done now."

"Thank G-d." Emily rushed in and mentioned something about securing Richard a room before whisking away, a haze of Chanel and Burberry. It was then that Lorelai realized Luke's pallid complexion,

"Jeez, are you ok?"

"Yeah... I'm just... I'm just not big on hospitals- you know, the smell, people being wheeled by with tubes sticking out of them, you know, drainage, fluids, gaping holes..." Jess winced as Lorelai mentioned,

"Not four months ago, you were here when the twins were being born and you were fine."

"Yeah. That was a completely different area. Babies being born doesn't reek of... fluids."

"Well, it does, but..."

"Ugh, mom, that's disgusting!" Jess gagged slightly and Lorelai swore she saw him contemplating putting the baby back in her carriage,

"Ok, listen, why don't you go home?"

"You want us to go?"

"You don't look so good."

"Yeah, dad," Jess teased, "You don't look so good."

"I wouldn't talk, Jess, cuz you looked not-so-good when I mentioned baby fluids." She grinned as he turned the slightest shade of green,

"Thanks." Lorelai turned to her husband,

"That's not what I meant. You know you always look good."

"Yeah?" She saw the self-satisfied smirk that graced his lips,

"Yeah... We're married, Luke. I can tell you that you look good. Would I have married you if you didn't?"

"That sounded very shallow, mom."

"You shush."

Though Lorelai kept an eye on Luke, they sat quietly for a few minutes, each contemplating the situation they were in before they brought Richard out. Lorelai decided not to go into the room where they took her father and was discussing finding Rory with Luke (though Luke would've rather found out why she was avoiding going in), when their daughter reappeared,

"Hey, the coffee machine wasn't working, so I got us some chicken soup and some Pez." Jess looked at his sister with unwavering curiosity as Luke grinned and Lorelai joked,

"Aw, just like our wedding night dinner, honey."

"Very funny."

"We were just coming to look for you."

"Why? Is everything ok?"

"Oh, yeah, they just brought your grandpa up," Luke told her.

"Really? Oh, I'm going in to see him now... I can go in now, can't I?"

"Yeah, you can."

"Are you guys coming?" Luke shook his head,

"I'm not. Not quite yet."

"Mom?"

"I'll, umm... I'll meet you up there."

"Ok, well, hurry up." Rory ran off and Jess told his parents that he was going to the waiting room they'd passed on the way in with the twins; Luke watched his wife skeptically,

"Who are you going to find now?"

"Stop it."

"How about Jimmy Hoffa, huh? That'll take a while."

"Luke..." she said warningly.

"Or JD Salinger? Nobody knows where he is. That could take years."

"Luke..."

"Or Bobby Fischer? I mean, you're not into chess, but it can't hurt."

"Lucas..."

"Lorelai, I'm not one of the kids you can scare by using their full name."

"Luke, leave me alone. I have things to do," she made a move to walk past him, but he gently grabbed her shoulders,

"No you don't. You're procrastinating going in there. Why?" Lorelai stared icily at him for a moment before breaking her gaze, tears rolling down her cheeks,

"I can't, Luke. I feel like I barely know him. I feel like there are so many lost opportunities and things that we've never shared that all fathers and daughters should. Like, that bond that you and Rory have? We don't have that. We don't understand each other the way you two do. And we should..."

"So then go in there. Go in there and try to make it. It doesn't need to be perfect. But you should take a step towards a bond like that." She sniffled,

"You're right... Thanks," she kissed him softly before asking, "When Rory comes out, can you take her and the rest of the kids home?"

"Sure thing."

"I love you."

"You too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You can't stay another day? It's been nice having company... different."

"The boys have school in the morning, Ma. And Kirsten and I have work. We just can't." Sophie looked downcast momentarily, but quickly disguised it,

"Ok, well... drive safe. Don't crash, because I don't think I have the time to come visit you all all the time... Just remember, it wouldn't be so terrible if you came to visit once in a while." Sandy raised his eyebrows,

"I thought we were nuisances?"

"Well, you are, but I like to see my grandsons." Seth grinned,

"Aww, we like to see you, too, Nana," he hugged her goodbye.

"You stay out of trouble, Sethela."

"I'll try."

"Try, try, fail, fail."

"What can I say? I search for ways to get in trouble."

"Call me sometime," she nudged.

"867-5309, right?" The Nana rolled her eyes,

"Be safe, Seth." They let go and Seth hopped into the car. Ryan slowly wandered into his grandmother's waiting arms,

"Keep in touch, right Nana?"

"Always, Ryan... Hey, Ryan... don't give your mother a hard time..."

"That's your job?" Sophie laughed,

"Yeah, but also because everything she does for you, she does because she loves you. Believe me, for everything that's ever happened with Kirsten, with all my criticisms, the one thing I've never criticized is the way she loves you and your brother." He sighed,

"I guess you're right."

"Be good, Ryan."

"Love you, Nana."

"Ditto."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By ten o'clock, the Cohens had returned home. As Sandy and Seth waved a good night to their family, Kirsten stayed up to do the wash. She turned around, and was shocked to find her son standing in the doorway,

"Ryan, geez! Scare the life out of me, why don't you?"

"Sorry, mom..."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She looked puzzled,

"Then what are you doing here?" He sighed,

"Helping you?"

"You want to?"

"Yeah... I've been... kind of a major pain lately..."

"No kidding."

"I wanted to make it up to you. I've sucked big time and this is the least I can do." She paused and eyed him curiously,

"This isn't just a clever ploy to maneuver out of your grounding?" He feigned shock,

"Kirsten Cohen, I am outraged at such an insinuation!" She grinned, but watched him warningly, "No. Just trying to make up for being a royal jerk."

"Ok, then... You can separate the darks from the lights."

"This is job preparation, right?"

"Three years of Chilton and you'll work in a Laundromat or be a butler? Sounds right to me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Luke had dropped off Jess and the twins at home (Rory, after watching the interaction between Lorelai and Richard, decided to go help Luke at the diner; he had to go back and clean up, even though Taylor had locked up), the diner phone rang,

"Hello?"

"Hey." Luke breathed a sigh of relief,

"Lorelai, thank G-d. Why are you calling so late? You said you'd call as soon as you left!"

"I am."

"You are?" Luke repeated, puzzled, "You're first leaving now?"

"Yeah."

"What have you been doing there all this time?" He could hear a shift in her voice. She no longer sound tired, but rather proud,

"Well, I spent a little while just sitting with my dad. We had a nice long talk about the twins and Rory and Jess and the adoption and you. And then... I had dinner with my mother." His eyes narrowed to slits,

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"And you're... ok?"

"Yeah..." Luke watched as Rory entered the room from the storage room, a case of napkins in hand, "It was actually... really pleasant."

"Wow... ok, I'm glad you had a good time."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly a good time, but it was better than usual."

"Well then I'm glad you had a better than usual time." Rory's voice startled him,

"Daddy, is that mom?"

"What? Oh, yeah. It is. You wanna talk to her?" Rory nodded as Luke spoke into the receiver, "Here's Rory. She wants to talk to you."

"Luke?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for tonight."

"Anytime." He handed the phone to his daughter, who picked up with nervous excitement,

"Mom?"

"Hey, sweets."

"How is he?"

"He's good. He will live to see another bowtie, I can tell you that much."

"So, he'll be ok?"

"He'll be fine."

"Good..." she breathed a sigh of relief and changed the topic; she could press the issue of her grandfather's health in the morning, "So, what'd you do tonight, when I was at dinner?"

"I came to the diner. And your dad made me a Santa burger."

"A what?"

"Ask him." She moved the receiver away from her mouth,

"Daddy?"

"What, Rory?"

"Santa burger?" He shook his head,

"Over there." Rory walked to the spot where her mother had been sitting and found the Santa burger sitting there, cold, the cream cheese icing slowly dripping off,

"That might be the most disgusting thing I've ever seen."

"Yes, and only a man who will truly loves you would do that for you." Rory grinned,

"I'll get Ryan to make me an Easter Bunny hot dog in a few months."


	25. Silver and Gold

_A/N- Ok. I suck. And I know it. It's been forever, and I recognize that. But I tell you this now. Now that school's started, I have more time to work on my stories (backwards, I know). I'm sorry. Oh yeah, I'm sorry._

_A/N 2- Questions!...Ally and Jess?Ryan and Rory? Seth and Lane? I don't know! Well, maybe I do, but you'll have to wait to find out... Umm I'm not done with Chilton. They're still in their first year at Chilton. They're still sixteen. Sorry if I confused you... _

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew the movie in the last chapter (Like a year ago) was **The Producers**. That would be: Sea4Shoes (Chelsea) andpotostfbeyeluvr... That was very few people. I'm surprised._

_Challenge: What show are Ryan and Rory talking about while walking through the hallways of Chilton? Same rules as always._

_Extra Credit: What is on pages 99-100 of **America: The Book** that Ally and Jess are discussing later on in the chapter?_

_Disclaimer: Don't even own my Statistics book... you get the picture..._

Silver and Gold

"Dude, I can't believe that you're actually going in to take a math test during _lunch_. Don't tell me you like Mrs. Rosenfeld better than you like us." Jess rolled his eyes at his friend,

"I don't, Seth, but I have to make up this test today and I can't stay after because I'm watching Josh and Hannah this afternoon while my mom and Rory do stuff for the charity yard sale." Seth rolled his eyes and watched as Ryan, walking alongside him, waved at Rory, who was walking purposefully in the other direction, her nose buried in her book about Kafka.

"You just _had_ to go and skip school that day, didn't you, Mariano?"

"You mean the day I was throwing up every hour _on _the hour? Yeah, I love playing hooky."

They arrived at Jess' math class and he gave a small wave goodbye, moving towards the front left corner of the room, away from the two girls and one guy chatting animatedly in two furthest rows from him. He saw one of them, a tall, tanned brunette, look back at him repeatedly; he could've sworn he saw her blush.

Easily bored, Jess soon began tapping his foot in frustration before the other girl in the corner, a thin, short, hazel-eyed blonde girl turned her attention to him,

"If you're waiting for Mrs. Rosenfeld, it's gonna be a little while."

"What?"

"Yeah. She ran out of here a few minutes ago- said it was an emergency, but that she'll be back before the end of the period, and we should just wait here."

"Oh..."

"Personally, I think that someone was about to take the last of the coffee in the teacher's lounge, and that she was anticipating a fight, but I could be wrong."

"Ok... Thanks," he moved to pull a book and the muffin he'd bought earlier out of his bookbag, but stopped as the blonde girl spoke again,

"So, what's your story?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. What are you in for?"

"In for?"

"Yeah, Polly. Why are you in here this period?" Jess narrowed his eyes; who _was_ this girl?

""I, um... I have to make up a test. You?" The boy sniggered and turned to the blonde, who, it was quickly becoming obvious, was the leader of the group,

"There was a pencil on the floor. We picked it up, shared it between the three of us on three different days. Little did we know it was Rosenfeld's pencil. She found us using it and she gave us lunchtime detention."

"Really?"

"Who would joke about that?" Jess started to laugh as the leader asked, "What's your name?" He looked at the other girl, who was trying to hide her blushing cheeks, and the guy, who was regarding him stonily,

"Jess. Mariano."

"Mariano..." The spokesgirl mused, "Where have I heard someone mention that name before?" She looked at the brunette and narrowed her eyes; Jess recognized it as the silent communication that he and the rest of the Kelly Road Posse shared. The brunette nodded and spoke for the first time,

"You're... Laurie's brother, right?" Jess couldn't help but grin,

"I have a sister named Rory, if that's who you mean."

"That's right. Rory... she's in our health class. I didn't know her last name was Mariano," the blonde took over again.

"It's not. She's Rory Danes."

"Oh, that's right."

"How did you know we were related?"

"She did a family tree in class once and she mentioned your name. She had a picture of you up there."

"Oh, yeah. I remember that project. She drove my dad nuts trying to get information out of him about his mom and dad."

"Aren't you guys really, like, cousins or something?" Jess shrugged,

"Biologically... well, biologically, not really. Do you want the long version or the short version?"

"We've got time." Jess sighed; this was a story he knew well, but not one he told often, as the people of Stars Hollow all knew it from firsthand experience,

"Ok, well, I am Luke's, my dad's, biological nephew. His sister is my biological mother. Rory's mom, Lorelai- both of our mom, really- had Rory when she was sixteen..."

"Young..."

"Yeah. So, when Rory was one, Lorelai met Luke, and when Rory was four, they got married. Luke adopted Rory when she was five, and therefore, we are cousins."

"Ok. We're following so far." _You talk for everyone now?_

"So, when I was ten, Liz, my biological mom, sent me to Luke and Lorelai so that they could 'straighten me out'. They started treating me like their kid, so I started acting like it. Then, about five months ago, Lorelai had twins, and we all started calling them my brother and sister, so I started calling Luke and Lorelai 'mom and dad'. And that's the whole story."

"Wow," said the brunette. The blonde, seemingly more phased than the guy, and less phased than the brunette, asked,

"So, technically, you guys aren't brother and sister?"

"No, we are. We're actually going through adoption stuff right now. We're just taking it slowly."

"Ok."

"So..." Jess said, a little uncomfortable, "Now that you know my name and family history, can I know your names?" The girls both laughed, and the guy shifted uncomfortably in his seat, seemingly doodling on his notepad.

"Sorry. I'm Emory, spelled with an 'o' and not an 'e'. My mom thought it was more feminine that way," said the blonde girl.

"Emory as in..."

"As in emery boards, yes. My mom has an obsession with cosmetics... This is my boyfriend Charlie," Charlie grunted in acknowledgement, and for the first time, Jess took in his appearance; he was tall, thin, but not lanky, and had shaggy red hair, which, at the moment, was tousled messily, "Charlie's antisocial around people he doesn't know, aren't you, Snookums?" She teased her boyfriend, who shot her a dirty glance, "C'mon, Charlie, be polite for once in your life." Before anything could happen, Jess stopped them,

"No, it's ok," he turned to the brunette, "And you are?"

"Early." Jess, confused, looked at the clock above the doorway, then to his watch, then back to the three teenagers to look for any indication of teasing. When he found none, he asked, only slightly able to hide his incredulity,

"Early?" Early sighed,

"Sadly. My father named me because my mother got to name my brothers. He has an obsession with being punctual. And he wanted to name me something that matched my brothers names' weirdness."

"What are your brother's names?"

"Esacriats and Nehctik."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. And we figured out, when Sam was fourteen, Nick was..."

"Sam and Nick?"

"Yeah. We couldn't let them go by Nehctik and Esacriats after the Demerol wore off, now, could we?"

"Good point."

"As I was saying, Sam was fourteen, Nick was twelve, and I was eleven, we figured out that their names backwards were Staircase and Kitchen..."

"You don't mean..."

"We asked my dad. Mom was so whacked out when she was naming us that all she could think of was the event that led to the horrible pain of giving birth, and therefore, all she could think of were the locations where the events took place. If my dad hadn't jumped in, I could've wound up being Moorhtab." Jess paused for a second, then realized what that meant,

"Bathroom? Ew. Too much info," Early and Emory both laughed, and Jess swore he even saw Charlie crack a smile. But he could've been wrong, "So... If your brothers go by Nick and Sam, do you have a nickname too, or do you go by Early?"

"Well, my friends call me Ella."

"Think I could?"

"We'll see."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat on the floor beside her parents' bed, playing with her baby brother, who was laying on the floor gym while Jess kept busy changing Hannah. As Joshua smiled at her, Rory heard her mother proclaim dramatically,

"Absolutely nothing." Rory rolled her eyes and pushed a toy to keep Josh occupied and stood up, coming to Lorelai's side,

"Oh, come on."

"I'm sorry, I'm looking, but there is nothing in here." Rory sighed,

"Mom, you're kidding, right? I'm actually surprised that Dad's let you keep all this stuff. Usually he makes you throw out any stuff that you don't use."

"Well, a man can't come between a woman and the clothes that she wears on a daily basis."

"What?"

"I do. There's nothing to give up."

"The red and black halter top?"

"Oh, no."

"Why?"

"Uh, it's a classic. I wore it on my fourth date with your dad. And it fits me again."

"It's got rhinestones and zebra stripes on it."

"So?" Lorelai gave Rory a quizzical look.

"Tassels."

"I finally lost all the baby weight. I can wear it again."

"Will you?"

"Yes." Rory knew she was lying,

"It has tassels, mom."

"Ok, I've had this since I was 17."

"Ok, I'm sorry did I mention the tassels?"

"You are heartless and unsentimental. Let's see what your little brother thinks," she held the shirt up to herself and walked over to where her youngest son was laying, "Joshy baby, what do you think of this shirt for mommy?" Josh gave a small smile and giggle, and Lorelai looked triumphant, "See? Josh likes this shirt. He's laughing."

"He's not laughing with you." Lorelai stuck her tongue out at Rory,

"And to think, I give you eldest daughter privileges."

"Because you are a hopeless packrat, and without me, no one would make sure you donated this stuff to people who really need it."

"I don't understand why I have to up root my happy family of clothing anyway. You and Luke and Kirsten and Sandy and the boys all ganged up on me on this."

"Because it's a charity rummage sale."

"I know."

"That you helped organize."

"Ok."

"And volunteered to run with Kirsten."

"Your little twin devil siblings kept me up the night before. They could've talked me into anything, I was so tired."

"It was your idea."

"Ok, I am a very sick woman and that should be apparent to anyone. Especially you, my flesh and blood." Rory sighed and, glancing at the picture of her parents on their dresser, knew what she had to do (If only because she knew that it was what her father would do in this situation),

"Ok, get out of the way," She made a move towards the closet, which Lorelai quickly blocked,

"What are you doing?"

"Step away from the closet please," she pushed her mother aside and heard Joshua start to whimper, "Go take care of your son for a minute. He will make this less painful." Lorelai turned away and picked up the baby, who had recently learned to roll from his front to his side, and had found a toy ball to put in his mouth, but when she turned around, she saw Rory pull an entire section of clothing out of her closet,

"Oh! Oh, this is so unfair! Oh no, no, no, not that whole chunk!" She scanned the pile of clothing quickly, "Well, just... ok, take that, that's ugly. Just that one...no...uh." Rory grabbed her mother's outstretched hand and placed it gently on Joshua's back; he was propped up against his mother's chest, looking around curiously. She pointed to the pile of clothing resting in her arms and told Lorelai,

"Ok, now all of this goes," she very quickly ran halfway down the stairs, throwing the pile of clothing carefully onto the ground below. Returning to her parents' bedroom, she took her brother from her mother, "I'm gonna take Josh. I want you to come over here to this dresser, open up the top drawer and take out everything _of yours_ that you'd be embarrassed to be wearing during a car accident. Meet me downstairs."

"I can't take any of your dad's clothes out of here?"

"Daddy already donated a whole bunch of stuff..." she cut her mother off before she could ask, "And don't say it's easy for him to donate because he wears the same shirt in different colors every day." Propping Josh up, Rory moved towards the stairs, leaving with a final, "Move!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Downstairs, Kirsten, Seth, and Sookie were all organizing the donated clothes.

"I don't think you should sell that," commented Seth, watching Rory descend the stairs with Joshua.

"Funny, Seth. Your parents tried to sell you at the last one, but no one would buy." Seth's jaw dropped,

"Mom, Rory's making fun of me!" Kirsten laughed, and Sookie clapped her hands together, narrowly missing a lamp on the table next to her,

"Look at the two of them. They're just like brother and sister!" They heard a faint honking outside and Sookie jumped at the noise, "Oh, that must be Jackson. He said he's dropping off his donations around now." Sookie moved to step over the pile of jackets lying on the floor to greet her boyfriend of one week (their first date had been a week earlier, and Sookie had asked Lorelai to double-date with Jackson's cousin Rune. Rune, apparently, having learned that Lorelai was married with four children, kept his nose turned up and refused to talk to her the entire time. Luke had seemed ok with it, if not a bit skeptical at first, but upon seeing the guy, who was 4'10" with a bad attitude, had laughed it off, kissed his wife goodbye, and bid them a good time). She tripped over the myriad of clothing and fell face-first; luckily, her fall was broken by the pile of pajamas in front of her,

"I'm ok, I'm ok." Seth helped her up and she brushed herself off before running to the door, tripping over her own feet twice more. Sookie brushed past Lane, who was entering the house carrying a box full of too-small clothing of hers and her mother's.

"Is it bad that Sookie almost fell down the stairs just now?"

"Bad? Yes," Rory answered, putting her baby brother into his Exersaucer.

"Surprising? Not really," Seth finished. Kirsten rolled her eyes,

"She's just excited to see her boyfriend. Be nice."

"Oh, Kirsten, don't get us wrong, we all love Sookie."

"She's just a bit of a klutz sometimes." Rory turned to Lane,

"What do you have?"

"Some of my mom's and my old stuff, already sorted."

"Just throw it into the piles, then." Lane did as requested and then moved to help Rory organize a box of things dropped off earlier by Gypsy, though not before stopping to give Seth a warm kiss hello.

"Sweater?" asked Rory, holding up a pink, furry sweater.

"Over here." Rory tossed it to her and picked up a pair of pants,

"Jeans?"

"In back of you." Rory turned around and dropped the embroidered denim jeans into the box labeled "pants". Rory picked up something oddly-shaped,

"A big furry purple thing that could be either a hat, a toilet paper cover or some kind of dirty hand puppet."

"Mystery box on the left," Lane answered, not bothering to glance at the object. Seth, however, look up in curiosity,

"Hey, Ror, lemme see that," he extended his arms and flailed wildly as he tried (and failed) to catch the purple object. He retrieved it from the ground and examined it, turning to his mother, "Mom, can I keep it?"

"What?"

"Walter, the purple object. It's so cute and furry."

"What are you talking about?"

"I want a pet. I want this to be my pet. I don't need to feed it, it makes no mess, and it won't wake me up in the middle of the night." Kirsten studied her son's eyes,

"Seth Ezekiel, you can't believe that's ac..."

"Kirsten, he's kidding," Rory explained, never looking up from yet another something furry (this time in turquoise).

"Oh, ok." The back door opened and Luke's voice echoed through the house,

"Hey."

"Hey, Dad."

"Where does your lunatic mother want these?"

"What do you have?"

"Rags and some old pots and pans from the diner."

"Are they the ones that we pretended we were the Beatles on?" Luke sighed,

"I think so."

"Hey, no!" Lane protested.

"You can't throw those away," Seth added.

"They were a cherished part of our childhood, daddy."

"A cherished part of your childhood and a terrible memory of mine. I needed to get all new kitchenware."

"So? This old stuff was old and dirty and smelled anyway."

"Yeah, we did you a favor."

"Rory," he said warningly; there was no way he was keeping the rusted old pots and pans. Rory sighed in defeat,

"Kitchenware goes in the kitchen. We have a system, father."

"Kirsten organized it?" Kirsten nodded,

"You know your wife. You think this was her?" Luke shook his head and disappeared into his kitchen.

"Here, Grinch," greeted Lorelai as she trudged down the stairs.

"Thank you." Rory haphazardly tossed the clothes to her left as her mother lifted Joshua to her hip,

"Who wants cheese?"

"Are there crackers?" Seth asked.

"Somewhere in the state of Connecticut, yes there are crackers."

"And in the Danes' house?" Rory asked, already knowing the answer; her mother had made the most recent shopping trip to Doose's,

"Who wants cheese?"

"Me, please," Lane raised her hand, "Um, kittens in the toilet poster?" Seth sighed,

"Another?"

"This one's signed," Lane shrugged as Lorelai disappeared into the kitchen,

"Ah! There a man in my kitchen, somebody call the constable."

"Yeah, well, better I be in the kitchen than you. At least I won't burn down the house."

"One time! That was one time!"

"Hello to you, too," Luke leaned down and pecked her hello before reentering the den,

"Your mom's a fruit cake."

"You married her."

"Fruit cakes by the door, please," Lorelai's voice wafted in before she did, carrying a scarf she found lying by the back door.

"I'm going back to the diner," he sighed, "Where are Jess and Hannah?"

"Upstairs in the nursery. Probably both asleep on the rocking chair." Luke nodded,

"Good luck. Call me if your mother finally loses it."

"Will do." He kissed his daughter's forehead and made his way to his son, still nestled in Lorelai's arms, who had smiled the moment he had seen his father, "Bye, Joshy. Please be normal, for daddy's sake, ok?" Lorelai stuck her tongue out,

"Just for that, his first word is gonna be coffee."

"Goodbye, crazy lady," he kissed his wife goodbye and kissed his son's forehead, "Bye, guys, see you later."

"Daddy! Dad!" Rory called out as Luke turned to leave,

"What, Ror?"

"Could you stop at the market and pick up crackers? It's urgent."

"What?" he looked at Lorelai, "I missed it, didn't I?"

"Sorry."

"Yes, I'll bring crackers home, Rory."

"Thank you, daddy." He wandered out the back door, gently pulling it closed behind him.

"Ok, so rummage sale's Sunday, today is Tuesday. At this rate, we are going to be sleeping in the yard by Thursday. We have got to start getting some of this stuff out of the living room."

At that moment, Ryan and Sandy entered the living room through the back door,

"Hey!" Lorelai groaned,

"More stuff! What piles do THESE go in?"

"Just put us under _Pinky and the Brain _memorabilia."

"Really? I was thinking that you two were more 'Wayne and Garth'."

"No, that's us," Seth motioned between himself and Ryan.

"Ren," Ryan motioned to himself, and then to his father, "and Stimpy. Now that that's settled, where do you want this?" Ryan held up the bag of old toys and books that he and Seth had outgrown,

"Over by Hannah's playswing." He moved towards one standing in the corner by Lane,

"This one?"

"No! That's Josh's!" Lorelai answered in exasperation.

"Then, where's Hannah's?"

"By Rory. The pink one, not the blue one."

"Oh, we're color-discriminating by gender now?" Rory shook her head,

"No, no, haven't you heard? Orange is the new blue."

"And black is the new pink."

"Hannah's dressing retro-goth from now on." Ryan shook his head and dropped the toys before kissing Rory hello.

"Hello?" Taylor's head peeked around the corner, though he quickly disappeared, shielding his eyes as he saw the two teenagers kiss. Rory sighed as Lorelai answered,

"Go away."

"I have a full set of dishes."

"Come on in, Taylor." They heard Taylor hesitate before asking,

"Anything else happening in there that wouldn't be appropriate for television that _isn't_ primetime or... questionable late night programming?" Lorelai's eyes went wide mockingly,

"You're doing porn? You never tell me anything!"

"Please cease and desist with the kissing, children." Rory, Seth, Ryan, and Lane all rolled their eyes,

"We've ceased," said the boys.

"And desisted," finished the girls.

"Well, good," Taylor rounded the corner.

"Oh, um, dishes in the kitchen, please," Lorelai told him, handing Josh to a reluctant Seth, who quickly passed him off into Lane's waiting arms.

"Ok, but I have to explain something first."

"Fine, go ahead," Kirsten said, a bit of frustration evident in her voice as she gave Lorelai yet another mystery object to inspect.

"The butter dish has a small chip in it."

"Safety tip, got it," said Lorelai, staring at the mystery object.

"It's fine. I filed down the chip and if you place it strategically on the table, nobody will ever know."

"Uh, Taylor, would you like to write out some sort of instruction manual to go with the dishes?" Lorelai asked, poking at the object, which, to her surprise, moved after she touched it. She gave a small "eek!" and dropped it on the floor, ignoring her daughter and her friends rolling with laughter behind her.

"Oh, could I?"

"Notepad's in the kitchen," Kirsten pointed through the door leading to the back of the house. As Taylor disappeared, Sookie reentered the room,

"Ok, you guys are gonna love me."

"We already love you."

"No, I mean you're really gonna love me."

"We do," Kirsten insisted; over the years, she had gotten close to Sookie through Lorelai.

"Trust me, you guys are gonna so love me."

"Ok, the love is starting to fade now, Sookie," Seth joked; Ryan hit him. Sookie stuck her tongue out at the boys and giggled excitedly,

"I have here in my hand, as requested by Mrs. Lorelai Danes, five fabulous tickets to the Bangles at the Pastorella theater on Saturday!"

"What?" Lorelai asked, her mouth agape. Kirsten's mouth dropped open also, and she only stared at the tickets in stunned silence.

"No?" Rory put down the _Hungry Hungry Hippos_ she was holding and ran to her mother's side, Lane immediately at her side.

"Do you love me?"

"Oh baby, do I! You kick the husband out of first place!"

"Are these good seats? These look like good seats," Lane asked, bouncing with excitement, not noticing Josh imitating her from his Exersaucer.

"9th row, aisle.

"I can't believe you got me my tickets! Well, how did you score these?"

"Remember the Birnbaum wedding?"

"Fiji fantasy?"

"Oh, we _all_ remember the Birnbaum's," breathed Ryan.

"The schnauzer in a bikini with a feather wreath around his head," Seth laughed.

"Yes. They were so thrilled with the volcano wedding cake that they wanted to do something nice for me and since Mr. Birnbaum runs a ticket agency and I knew you were dying to so, so I asked him if he could..."

"Make five girls very happy," Lorelai finished, a goofy grin overcoming her mouth.

"Yeah and he did!"

"Sook, lemme see," Kirsten held out her hands to see the tickets, and Sookie happily obliged.

"Huzzah for the Birnbaums!"

"Hey Sookie, if you got five tickets and you and mom and Kirsten go, then that means..." Sookie nodded emphatically,

"Mmhmm, one for you and one for Lane!" Lane threw her arms around Sookie, "Oh, chickadee!"

"This is gonna be a very special night. And you know what a very, very special night deserves?"

"What?" asked Kirsten, still not looking up from the tickets.

"A new outfit!" Lorelai said with a flourish as she pulled out a hot pink dress.

"Mom," Rory said, groaning.

"Yes?" Lorelai responded angelically.

"No."

"What could the problem be?"

"This is the tackiest..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"As I mentioned yesterday, we will be holding a debate next week. Your subject is 'Did Charles I receive a fair trial'. The pros will represent the parliament who deemed they had sovereignty and the cons will represent the monarch and try and prove that the charge against him was not legal," Something caught Ms. Caldecott's eye as she scanned the room, explaining the project from her desk, "What is fascinating, Mr. Dugrey?" Tristan looked up from staring at the back of Rory's head and tried desperately to prevent his cheeks from becoming any redder than they already were.

"Uh, nothing, Ms. Caldecott."

"Nothing, Mr. Dugrey?"

"My notes," he stuttered, "My notes are fascinating, Ms. Caldecott."

"Yes, they are fascinating, Mr. Dugrey. As I was saying, the pro and con teams will each have two minutes and 30 seconds for introductions, six minutes to debate, three minutes for conclusions and five minutes for questions from the audience. The winner shall be decided by a hand count from the rest of the class. Does that sound like fun, Mr. Dugrey?" Tristan blinked himself awake from his reverie,

"What?"

"The debate. Does it sound like fun?" Tristan shook his head and Rory smirked at his ignorance, unknowing of just what he was staring at.

"Yes, it does."

"It does, doesn't it, Mr. Dugrey?"

"Oh, it absolutely does, Ms. Caldecott."

"More fun than staring at Miss Danes' ear?"

"Yes, Ms. Caldecott." Rory blushed and sunk deeper into her chair, a mental groan growing louder in her head.

"Yeah, I think so too. Ok, any questions? Good, I'll assign your teams." The teacher walked up and down the aisles and pointed at people in groups of four, announcing their topics. Rory winced as she pointed to her group. Paris, however, followed the route of denial,

"Who did she point to?" Madeline looked confused,

"Well I think she..." She motioned to Louise and Rory with her eyes as Paris stood up,

"Excuse me, Ms. Caldecott?"

"Miss Geller?"

"I wasn't sure who you pointed to just now." _Oh, yes you were._

"Oh, uh, let's see. You, Miss Lynn, Miss Grant and Miss Danes." Paris sighed and Rory's mental groan grew to the point where she thought it may leak out her ears for the class to hear.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am, but thank you for asking." Paris sat back down and continued to throw daggers out her eyes at Rory until the bell rang, when the four girls met in the hallway,

"So I guess we should make a plan," Rory suggested.

"To do what?" Madeline asked stupidly, to which Paris responded impatiently,

"To work out our debate Madeline."

"Oh, yeah right."

"We need a place to work."

"My house is out," Paris said immediately, prompting an anxious Louise to ask,

"Why?"

"Because it is."

"You need a reason."

"My mother is having the entire place redone, she wants all evidence of my father out of there. So unless you want to sit on no furniture, while watching three Harvey Fierstein impersonators rip up the carpet and paint everything a ridiculous shade of white and call it 'angel's kiss' then we're going to have to find somebody else's house to go to."

"My brother has the measels," Madeline announced, clutching her books.

"My mom's having an affair," Louise announced. Rory tried not to swing her head around too fast to look at Louise in shock at her aloofness about the subject. _Thank you, Mom and Dad for raising me in Stars Hollow, where the nuts are nuts, but at least they're somewhat functional._

"Well I guess we can go to my house. I mean, we're having a town rummage sale, so it's kind of a mess, but it's there," Rory grudgingly admitted.

"Isn't your house kind of far?" _Drive the Porsche your mom gave you to keep quiet about the affair._

"It's thirty minutes away by bus."

"Bus? I don't do 'bus'."

"Well if you have a better suggestion..." Rory felt her temper rising, but Paris cut her off,

"I'll drive."

"Ok, so then tomorrow."

"Tomorrow."

"Fine."

"Fine." Just as they were about to disperse, Tristan walked by,

"Hey, Paris." Rory was stunned (though thrilled) that Tristan had ignored her.

"Tristan, hi."

"You know, I was really hoping we'd be in the same group." _Oh, c'mon, Paris might be mean, but she's not stupid. She knows what that means. "Oh, Paris, I'm sorry that I didn't get you to do my homework for me."_

"You were?" Rory's hand instinctively went to her chin to prevent it from dropping to the floor.

"Oh yeah. I mean, it would make the long hours of studying go by a lot faster. Plus, come on - you and me on the same team, we'd wipe the floor with the others. I guess we'll just have to pair up on something else then, huh?"

"That would be good."

"Yeah, it would. I'll see you later. Bye Madeline, bye Louise." Rory shook her head, silently glad that Tristan hadn't acknowledged her (Though it made her mildly suspicious as well).

"Tristan suddenly has very big eyes for you, grandma," Louise mused, and Rory stifled a giggle.

"Lucky." Rory was watching the scene with interest and almost jumped as she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist. She looked over her shoulder to find Ryan, grinning contentedly.

"Hey," she greeted, ignoring the feverish whispers and disgruntled _That's so not fair_s behind her.

"Hi. Usually when I walk past here, you're gone."

"Oh, we were just discussing some details for this weekend."

"This weekend?"

"We have a debate to work on."

"Eugh," he started, but stopped as he recognized the _Shut up_ look on his girlfriend's face, "How did you get so... lucky," he stuttered, "to be put with Paris, Louise, and Madeline."

"Can it, Romeo," Paris spat, "C'mon, Louise, Madeline, we need to get to class." As the girls (their mood effectively ruined by Ryan and Rory's display of affection) stalked off to class, Ryan and Rory began walking in the other direction,

"You got stuck with them?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry." Rory sighed,

"Not your fault. The only problem is that now we can't even celebrate your first day off of probation together."

"What? Why not?"

"Tomorrow. They're coming tomorrow. And then tomorrow night, I have the Bangles concert. I was gonna spend the day with you, watching movies and stuff."

"Oh, Ror, it's ok."

"No, it's not. And I'm not even gonna be home to watch with you tomorrow night, and it should be good." Ryan looked at her, perplexed, before he realized what she meant,

"Oh, Ror, that's ok. Trust me, Fred Armisen will dress up as Ferecito again."

"No, knowing my luck, they'll kill off Ferecito in Weekend Update tomorrow. They won't believe he's just kidding."

"Stop being Debbie Downer."

"No. I'm Rory Day-Wrecker."

"Creative."

"I thought so."

"Tell you what. Sunday, we'll hang out, watch reruns on E, and have my 'Probation-be-gone' celebration. Ok?" She sighed,

"Ok."

"Besides," Ryan reasoned, "The show hasn't really been the same since Ferrell left."

"Some argue since Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey left."

"Well, Ferrell was the last shred of classic."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hello?" Jess grabbed his cell phone off of his night table.

"Hey, this is Billy Madison. I'm calling to say that, if in high school, I did anything to hurt you or offend you, I'm sorry," a girly voice responded.

"Hey, Ally. What's up?"

"Nothing. Too much homework..."

"I know how you feel. I don't think they ever covered _King Lear _on _The Brady Bunch._"

"No, they did that one episode where they read the poem at the parents/kids night, and Marcia and Carol sang the song dressed as hoboes, but nothing springs to mind about 'Fair is foul and foul is fair.'"

"Hey, pretty good." He heard the strain in her voice as she admitted,

"I feel like I never get to see you anymore."

"I know... I'm sorry."

"It's just, with different schools, and being busy with the twins, and your adoption, and work, I have no idea who you are and what you're up to. I couldn't pick you out of a crowd of dark-haired, dangerous-looking teenage boys if I wanted to."

"Yes, you could. I'd be the one with the spit-up rag on my shoulder and a baby sibling in each arm."

"I'm serious, Jess." He laughed maniacally,

"Sadly, so am I."

"I called for a reason, believe it or not. Do you want to hear it, or do you want to tell me about how Hannah's spit-up is more projectile than Josh's?" Jess made a gagging noise from the back of his throat,

"That was absolutely disgusting, Ally. Hold on a second while I vomit, and then tell me what you called for." She rolled her eyes,

"What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Why, Miss Leigh, I'm flattered, but I already have plans," Jess said in a falsetto voice.

"Jess, stop it. What are you really doing?"

"I really have plans."

"With who?" She was shocked to hear that her boyfriend was being honest; he had made plans without telling her?

"My friends from school."

"Who?"

"My friends. Charlie, Emory, and Early." The lunch-period meeting between Jess, Emory, Charlie, and Early had gone quite well; Jess found he had a lot in common with these kids, and found them easy to talk to. Every day since then, they'd greeted each other in the hallway, met up to talk during lunch twice, and exchanged screennames.

He'd had such breakthroughs that he'd realized that Emory was only so talkative around new people, because Charlie and Early were so shy. _Ella, _he corrected himself, _She lets me call her Ella now_. Now that they all knew each other, Emory had toned it down a little bit, and the other two were more open with him, talking much more. _Well, Ella does. Charlie... _He grinned.

In all of their debates, Charlie responded with one-to-two-word answers and grunts.

Family Guy vs. The Simpsons? _Family Guy._

Sneakers vs Sandals? _Sneakers._

Chocolate vs. Vanilla? _Chocolate/Vanilla twist._

He knew he had more work to do before cracking Charlie, but he didn't mind; he was just glad to have friends at Chilton outside of the Kelly Road Posse (None of the others had accomplished that feat to such an extent).

"Jess, who are Emory and Charlie, and why are they early?"

"Her name is Early. My friend. And she and Emory and Charlie are people I met at Chilton- nice people, who are willing to talk to me without that little red glint in their eye that seems to appear in most Chilton kids' eyes before they hit me with a pie."

"So, you're doing something with them tomorrow?"

"They're coming over. I invited them."

"Oh," Ally sounded disappointed, "Listen, my mom's calling me. I have to go," Jess strained and listened, but couldn't hear anyone's voice in the background, "Maybe next weekend, then?"

"Sure. Maybe next weekend."

"Bye, Jess."

"Bye, Al. Lo..." The click of the phone cut him off before he got a chance to finish his thought.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Rory, I think your friends are here," Lorelai said, peeking through the window, "She must be one great babysitter to earn enough money for that car." Rory sighed,

"Let's just get this over with."

"Take heart, my dear. Suffer today, party tonight," Lorelai opened the door with a flourish and greeted, "Hi."

"Hi," said Madeline and Louise; Paris responded with a scowl.

"Come on in."

"So, did you guys find it ok?"

"There's no sign on this street," Paris griped.

"I know," Rory started, but Lorelai cut her off,

"Yeah, some neighborhood kids had a game of tag that got way too out of hand a couple years back. It fell over." Rory shot her mother a warning glance; the day that she, Seth, Ryan, Lane, and Jess had planned on playing "Extreme Tag", the pole went down. The exact details were never divulged to the town, but it was well-known among the Kelly Road Posse that it was the kids who'd knocked it down. To be discreet, they told people that a stray dog and a runaway wagon were to be blamed.

"That's why I told you to turn right at the big rooster statue," Rory told them.

"I thought you were kidding."

"Oh no, we never kid about Monty." They heard footsteps approach the front door and Luke's voice explain,

"Well, I do, but the girls don't." He stood behind his wife and daughter, smiling slightly at the girls.

"Who's Monty?"

"Monty the rooster... Monty."

"Oh."

"Everybody, this is my mom and dad."

"Lorelai. And Luke."

"This is Louise, Madeline, and Paris."

"Ah, very good girl-group names," Luke rolled his eyes, "Ok, so, um sorry about the house of horrors here. Some crazy lady volunteered to lead this charity thing and we're trying to get her some help, so make yourselves comfortable. Rory, just yell when you guys want pizza."

The girls decided to work in the living room, but Luke and Lorelai stayed put.

"I'm going to the market. Do you need anything?"

"We could use more diapers. And pineapple juice."

"Pineapple juice?"

"Yes, pineapple juice. It's healthy and lately, I've just really wanted it," she scrunched up her nose and her husband rolled her eyes.

"You're an odd one."

"What? You don't want me to drink pineapple juice? Fine, then just get me more Twinkies and Pop Tarts. The s'mores kind, preferably."

"No, no," Luke answered, his eyes going wide, "I'll get you pineapple juice. And pineapples. I'll get you a pineapple hat, if you want. It's _healthy_."

"Aw, that's sweet. And slightly weird. I'll be happy with just the pineapple juice, thanks."

"I'll be back to bring the car back tonight."

"Ok." They kissed goodbye,

"I love you."

"You, too." Luke left and Lorelai went upstairs to her room to check out the growing pile of old pictures and games left homeless by the flood of items overflowing her living room.

Louise and Madeline shared an impressed, if not shocked glance,

"Rory, how long have your parents been married?" Rory, taken aback at the question, worked the math in her head,

"Umm... twelve years. Why?"

"Twelve years... wow... that's insane," commented Madeline.

"It's amazing how the heart works," mused Louise.

"What?" asked Rory, watching Paris leaf through her notes.

"Your parents. They act like that all the time?"

"Like what?"

"Kissing and joking and... talking."

"Um, yeah. Pretty much every day."

"Fascinating."

"Wait," Madeline said, realization dawning on her for the first time, "Your parents have been married twelve years?"

"Yeah."

"But you're sixteen."

"Yes."

"So, you're..."

"Adopted," Rory finished quietly; she hated discussing this topic, "by my dad."

"By your dad?"

"Yeah. My mom had me, met my dad, they got married, he adopted me. End of story." Madeline, using her last shred of intuition, sensed that this was a touchy subject and let it drop. Paris interjected somewhat loudly (she had let actual conversation get in the way for long enough),

"Ok, so here's how it should go. Madeline will do the introductions, I'll handle the debate, Rory will do the conclusion and Louise will take questions."

"Why do you automatically get to handle the debate?"

"Because I'm the most experienced at it." Madeline looked at Rory with utter confidence,

"Trust me, you want her to handle the debate. She never gives up."

"Le pitbull," Louise agreed.

"Ok."

"So what is all this stuff?" Louise asked, going through the bag seated next to her.

"Uh, it's for a big town rummage sale."

"Like a charity thing?"

"Yeah. There's this old bridge that's completely falling apart and the town's trying to save it."

"Oh, cool hat."

"Put that down. It's used," Paris snapped.

"Vintage, dear."

"Filthy, darling."

"There's this great store under my therapist office who has the best vintage clothes. I found an original Pucci top for practically nothing," mentioned Madeline.

"Oh Pucci is very big right now," Louise agreed.

"Is this a Pucci?" asked Madeline, holding up a shirt.

"No, that's a patty."

"A patty?"

"Miss Patty. She's a dance teacher here. These are some of her old costumes." Louise held a pink sequined dress up to her body,

"Oh here, Paris. Tristan might like this." Paris looked upset and exasperatedly pleaded,

"Can we just work, please?"

"Ugh. I would love to have a boyfriend that looked like Tristan." Madeline looked pointedly at Rory,

"Your boyfriend's no slouch either."

"No, he's not."

"Oh, yes. Blonde and gorgeous. Granted, he's not the tallest, but it'll do. Muscles all around... So, how's that going? Are you two still 'Joanie loves Chachi'?" Rory rolled her eyes discreetly; _You saw us in the hallway **yesterday**. What do you think has changed?_

"G-d, I hope not."

"You're sickeningly cute together."

"Um... thank you?"

"How long has it been?"

"I don't know."

"You do, too."

"Well... we've been friends since we were six and he moved here... he lives next door. So, it's debated by our parents when we actually started going out. Our moms say when we were seven, his dad says since the day we've met, my dad's still in denial that I have a boyfriend at all..."

"What do you two say?"

"About two years."

"Two years!"

"Wow, small town, big romances."

"Hey!" Paris interjected. Madeline rubbed at her ear,

"Jeez."

"We have a debate to organize here and this conversation is quickly veering towards the subject of french kissing and glitter eye shadow - trashy or trendy? And I for one have no intention of being humiliated in front of the whole class because we were forced to study in the middle of a carnival and you two couldn't keep your eye on the prize! I want to win and I'm going to win." They were all silent for a moment before Louise asked,

"So, how good of a kisser is he, anyway?" Rory, Louise, and Madeline all giggled, but Rory was secretly embarrassed to share that private information. Luckily she was saved by Kirsten descending the stairs quickly, holding Hannah.

"Ror, I have to go pick up Seth. Your mom says to take your sister and just put her in the swing, if you will. She'll..."

"Fall asleep. I know."

"Ok."

"Hey, Kirsten?" Rory said, standing up and taking the baby from Kirsten, "Tell Seth I need to talk to him about tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?"

"We made..." she glanced at the three girls sitting at her table, discussing the pros and cons of using note cards in presentation, "umm... plans. To... celebrate." Kirsten laughed,

"Nothing too destructive, ok?"

"Hey, if you tell me, you have to tell them all," Rory laughed.

"Oh, I plan on it," Kirsten looked around with confusion, "Where's my..."

"Keys?" Rory cut her off, "Right here."

"Thanks. I'll see you tonight." Kirsten ran out the front door and Louise turned to Rory,

"What's tonight?"

"We've got tickets to see the Bangles at the Pastorella theatre."

"In New York?"

"Yeah."

"Sounds potentially not boring." _Oh, the biggest of compliments from Louise. Headway. I'm making headway._

"It's gonna be great, actually and the seats are amazing." _This isn't bragging, right?_

"Who are you going with?"

"My mom, Kirsten, their friend Sookie, and my friend Lane."

"Lane? Is she that really tall girl in my fourth-period Psych class?" _No, but she'd love to take a psychological stab at you. That'd be fun._

"Not likely. She goes to Stars Hollow High."

"Wait. You're going with your _mom_?"

"You're kidding?"

"What?"

"You're going to a concert with your mom?"

"Yeah."

"I cannot imagine doing anything like that with my mom."

"Actually, we do stuff like this all the time."

"Really?" Rory still had Hannah in her arms, so she moved to put her in her pink playswing.

"Yeah. I mean, it's not necessarily always _just_ us. Jess will come sometimes, and now we have Hannah and Josh to bring with us."

"Hannah and Josh?"

"My sister and baby brother. That's Hannah," she said, putting Hannah's pacifier in her mouth.

"Oh. How old are they?"

"They're about five months... I mean, my mom's still young, so, it's not so weird... Do you want to hold her?"

"No. I don't do babies," Louise grunted.

"Me neither," agreed Paris. Madeline looked concerned,

"I dropped my brother once when he was a baby. I haven't been the same since."

"Hey, how old are your parents anyways?"

"Well, my dad's thirty-five. My mom's thirty-two."

"Young."

"So that means she had you when she was..." Paris, frustrated with the turn of the conversation, interjected,

"Sixteen. She had her when she was sixteen. We've done the math, can we just 'ooh' and 'aah' about this quickly and get back to work?"

"Sixteen. I'm sixteen," Louise mused. _She can count! Thank Sesame Street. Sixteen, whawhawha, sixteen years._

"So am I."

"We're all sixteen, ok? Everybody in this room is sixteen. Except baby blue-eyes over there. She's not."

"Paris is right. We should work."

"Thank you."

"I can't imaging having a baby at sixteen," said Louise.

"Well, then keep your knees shut."

"Very nice."

"Do you think your mom is sorry she got pregnant so young?"

"Of course she is." _What the hell..._

"Why, thank you."

"I didn't meant that. I just meant that..."

"I mean, I don't think she would recommend it, but I think she's happy with how things turned out."

"I am?" Lorelai asked as she descended the stairs, holding Josh.

"Yes, you are."

"Ok, just checking... Hey, I'm starving, is it pizza time yet?" She asked, handing Joshua to Rory, who turned to her classmates,

"Are you guys hungry?"

"I am."

"I can't eat dairy," grunted Paris.

"Ok, one with cheese, one without. Cokes?"

"Yes, please."

"Me too."

"We're never going to finish," moaned Paris as Louise ignored her, Lorelai walking into the kitchen,

"I find your mother completely fascinating."

"Funny, so does she."

"It's almost more like having a big sister."

"And you like her, don't you?" Rory nodded,

"She's my best friend."

"And what about your dad? You must at least dislike him."

"Umm... no. I mean, maybe I just... appreciate him more because of the way that he became my dad, but I spend a lot of nights helping him, watching movies with him."

"Truly, completely fascinating."

"Rory, come in here a sec!" came Lorelai's voice from the kitchen.

"I'll be right back." Rory stood up and ran into the kitchen.

"Hey, how's it going in there?"

"Truly, completely fascinating," Rory joked, picking up a grape and throwing it into her mouth.

"Really?"

"Well, we've basically gotten no work down at all. Paris is having a meltdown, which, by the way, is always fun."

"Sounds it."

"And, I don't know, we've just been talking."

"Well, I think you're actually making some friends here."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. They've basically just moved off the plan to dump the pig's blood on me at the prom, that's all."

"Talking, chatting, no work being done - there's friend potential going on." Rory thought to Paris' reactions to any time that she mentioned her family life or boyfriend,

"Maybe - with Louise and Madeline at least."

"Two out or three formerly psychotic enemies - not bad. There," Lorelai said, handing Rory a plate, "pop-tart appetizers to tide you over till the pizza comes."

"Thanks," Rory turned to leave, but Lorelai stopped her,

"Hey, I have kind of a crazy idea."

"Should I call Daddy and have him get the hospital on hold before anything happens?"

"Just consider this, ok?" Rory sighed,

"Ok."

"Now, we have five tickets to the show tonight."

"Yes, we do."

"What if I give them to you? You take them."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, it just seems like you guys have kind of a bonding thing going on in there, and it might be fun."

"But what about you?"

"No, no, you and I have already bonded. In fact, if we bond any further, we will be permanently fused together."

"You've been talking about this concert since you heard about it."

"I can still go." Rory shook her head,

"How?"

"Sookie and I can buy cheap seats when we get there."

"These tickets are 9th row aisle - dream seats."

"Look, you don't have to do this, but I just think you have three years of Chilton ahead of you and it might be nice to have some friendly type people to talk to there other than your brother, your boyfriend, and the friend you've had since you were six."

"Thanks for making me feel popular, mom." Lorelai shook her head,

"You know what I mean. And I don't know, you guys seem to be getting along, it might be good. And I totally don't mind, I just want to see the show, I don't care from what seat." Rory narrowed her eyes,

"Are you sure?"

"Completely sure."

"Because I..." Lorelai cut her off with a wave and a flourish, rushing into the den with the plate,

"Oh, ladies!" Rory shook her head in disbelief. _Only Lorelai._ "Hey what are you guys doing tonight?"

"Why?"

"Well, we have these really great tickets to see the Bangles at the Pastorella theater and _Rory _thought you might like to come along." Rory shook her head. _No, my insane mother thought you might, but potato, po-tah-to._

"Are you serious?" Madeline gasped as Louise's mouth fell open,

"No way." Rory snapped back to life,

"Yeah... I mean, if you guys want to."

"I would love to go," Madeline chimed.

"Count me in," nodded Louise. Rory turned to Cruella DeVille herself,

"Paris, what about you?"

"I can't." Louise rolled her eyes,

"Yes, you can."

"No, I can't."

"Because you're busy doing what?"

"I have homework." Madeline turned to Rory,

"She'll be there."

"Good," said Rory. Rory shook her head,

"Great."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess hurried around to get everything organized in his room; though the rest of the house was in a state of absolute squalor and disarray, he needed to clean his room for his friends, who were coming over within a few minutes. Rushing to accomplish everything he'd been hoping to, he stubbed his toe and uttered a dirty word under his breath, his face contorting into a twisted grimace. He looked over to find Hannah, dressed in only a white t-shirt and a diaper, propped up in a bouncy seat, smiling at the face he was making,

"Think that's funny, do you, Miss Danes?" He strode over to her and picked her up, holding her above his head and tossing her gently. He pulled her to his body again as he heard the doorbell ring, and he dashed up the stairs to greet his friends from school.

As he pulled the door open quickly with his free left hand, Hannah yawned quietly in his right.

"Hey guys," he greeted as the open door revealed his three friends; Jess marveled at how different they looked outside of their school clothes. Emory wore a thin black tank top, a red zip-up hoodie unzipped on top of it, black jeans, and a red studded belt, her straight blonde hair french-braided in two parts. Charlie wore khaki shorts and a checkered blue button-up t-shirt. Ella sported a black t-shirt which, on the front, had a picture of "Newman", a speech bubble reading "Hello, Jerry" (he would later learn that the back read "Hello, Newman" in bold letters) and capri pants, her pink flip-flops clicking as she bounced in the cool night air, fixing her wildly-curled ponytail.

"He... Oh my gosh! Who is _this_ cutie?" Emory greeted before interrupting herself.

"Oh. This my sister Hannah."

"Hi, cutie pie," Ella cooed, leaning down to tickle Hannah's belly. Both girls squealed with delight as the baby giggled loudly. Jess shifted her to his other arm before he heard Charlie cough purposefully.

"Oh, right, come in." They came through the door and Jess shut it behind them with his free hand.

"So, this is my house," Jess announced, trying hard not to sound too anxious; it was rare (in fact, damn near never) that he have someone over his house who needed a tour. The only people he'd ever really hung out with outside of school were Seth, Ryan, Lane, and Rory, none of whom needed a tour, and Ally, who had needed the tour once, when they were thirteen, "It's a, uh, a bit messy right now."

"I hadn't noticed," said Emory wryly; Jess sniggered,

"Yeah, my mom is hosting a charity rummage sale. The house isn't usually like this, but it's mom's responsibility. As of tomorrow, this'll all be out of the house."

Lorelai came running down the stairs, Josh, fully clad in pajamas, in hand.

"I heard the doorbell ring. Who was there?"

"It's my friends, mom." Lorelai grinned warmly at the teens,

"Oh, hi, I'm Lorelai. I'm Jess' mom."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you. I'm Emory, this is my boyfriend Charlie."

"And I'm Ella."

"Ella. What a pretty name. We actually considered naming Hannah 'Michelle' and just calling her 'Elle,' but then 'Hannah' just stuck... is your name short for anything?"

"Early."

"Early? Really? I've never heard that name before."

"Most people haven't." Lorelai grinned at the girl and turned to Jess,

"Rory and I are going in a few minutes."

"Oh, where are you going?" asked Emory, her ever-present curious glint evident in her eyes.

"We're going to a Bangles reunion concert."

"Oh, cool."

"I thought so," she turned to Jess again, "Take your brother," Jess extended his free arm and took Joshua, "I'm gonna go finish getting ready," she waved politely to Jess' friends, "It's nice to have met you."

"You too."

"Have fun at the concert."

"Thanks," Lorelai ran back up the stairs.

"So that's your mom?"

"That's Lorelai."

"She's..."

"Energetic," Jess finished.

"Yup."

"She seems sweet."

"I like her," Jess shrugged as he heard the back door open.  
"Hello. Anybody home?" came Luke's gruff voice.

"Den!" The eldest Danes rounded the corner,

"Hi, everybody." Jess could've sworn he heard Charlie's deep voice joke _Hi, Dr. Nick_. He did a double-take and shook it off. Charlie? Make a joke? Never.

"Guys, this is my dad Luke."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Danes," Ella said politely.

"Please, it's Luke."

"Oh, ok."

"Dad, what are you doing home?"

"I needed to get the truck home for your mom."

"You're taking the SUV?"

"Lorelai thinks it's too uncool to show up at a Bangles concert in an SUV.

"Of course." Lorelai and Rory bounded down the stairs.

"Hi, honey," Lorelai greeted, kissing her husband on the lips quickly.

"Hi, daddy," said Rory, kissing her father's cheek as she played with the dangling earrings she'd borrowed from her mother.

"Hi, girls. You're ready to go?"

"Yeah. Lane's at Kirsten's with Seth, so we're gonna pick them both up first, and then we're gonna pick up Sookie, and we're gonna meet the other girls at the theater." Rory looked at her classmates,

"Hi."

"Hey... you're in our Health class, right?" Rory nodded and gave a half-smile,

"Yeah. The new girl who sits in the back."

"I feel bad that that's become your name," Emory told her.

"Ms. Hassell will learn my name eventually... I hope."

"Yeah, she does that with everyone. She knows all about the difference between the different STIs, but when it comes to whether you're Emory or Early, she calls you Kaitlyn."

"Yeah, I saw that. For some reason, when she doesn't call me 'New girl in the back,' she calls me Arlene." Ella, Early, and Rory all giggled; Charlie cracked a small smile, but quickly covered it up, acting as though it was a cough. To everyone's surprise, he mentioned,

"For some reason, she remembered my name before anyone else's. Granted, I was 'Mike' for a week and a half, but it all ended up ok." Everyone laughed and Lorelai looked at her watch,

"Oh, Rory, we should go. We're gonna be late otherwise."

"Ok." Lorelai took Hannah from Jess and kissed her on the forehead,

"Bye, baby. I love you. Be good for Jess, ok?" When Hannah giggled, Lorelai said, "Ok. Bye-bye, Banana." Luke rolled his eyes,

"Do you _have _to call her Banana?"

"I don't have to. I could call her walnut-head, like I did with Rory."

"Hey now, that's not nice," Rory pouted. Lorelai shook her head,

"Her name is Hannah. It's a given that she be called 'Banana'... Luke, could you..." Luke cut her off,

"Change her into pajamas? Sure. Gimme." He took his youngest daughter from his wife, who quickly put her head affectionately on Luke's shoulder. He rubbed her back patiently as she hiccupped quietly. Lorelai turned to Jess and Josh,

"Bye, Joshy-boy. Mommy loves you," She kissed the back of his head affectionately as the baby held his head up and began to reach around, as if trying to get to his mother. Lorelai grinned and pulled the baby out of Jess' arms; he smiled as he saw his mommy's grinning face. Lorelai then turned to Jess, "Ok, there's money for pizza on the table, I stocked up on junk food, and if you're gonna go out, call dad and let him..." Jess blushed at the last part,

"Mom! I know. Go. Have fun." Lorelai sighed,

"Ok." Rory kissed the twins each on the back of their heads and kissed her father's cheek again,

"Bye, guys. Nice to see you again."

"You, too." Lorelai turned to the kids, handing Joshua back to Jess,

"Nice meeting you."

"Likewise." Luke, with his free hand, opened the front door to the house, handing Lorelai the car keys,

"Have fun. Be safe," he said, staring nervously at both of his girls.

"We'll be fine, daddy."

"Just... be careful, ok?"

"I'll be fine, dad."

"Ok. I just..." Lorelai cut him off,

"She'll be fine." Luke sighed,

"Ok. Enjoy the show." Rory nodded,

"Bye, everybody." As Rory and Lorelai stepped out the door, Luke turned to Jess,

"Could you put him in his swing?"

"Well, yeah, but we're going down to my room."

"So, then, could you bring it downstairs with you?" Jess nodded,

"Sure," He turned to his friends as Luke disappeared up the stairs, Hannah in hand, "Ella, could you hold him?" Ella nodded reluctantly,

"Umm... sure..." she extended her arms and Jess strategically deposited Joshua into them, "Do I have to... support his head... or something?" Jess shook his head,

"No, he can hold his own head up. Just watch his back, cuz he'll lose control and lean back sometimes and that's not good." Ella, a panicked look on her face, quickly brought her other hand up to the baby's back.

"Ella, he's a baby, not a bomb," Emory joked.

"Shut up."

"_Hold him like a football_," mocked Emory.

"Hey, now, that's enough _Friends_ quotes for the night, thanks." Jess laughed. _At least they understand._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

At the concert, later that night, everything had been going along well; Louise and Madeline had opened up more around Rory, and Paris was even behaving herself in a manner conducive to living with other humans. Lane had even been able to enjoy herself around the "Chilton Elite." Lorelai, Kirsten, and Sookie, secluded to the nosebleed seats available at the door, had called once to check in on Rory, and Luke had called three times; on the third call, Lane picked up the phone, answering with a,

"Mike and Mike's house of music. If you wish it, we dish it. How can I help you?"

It wasn't until Louise and Madeline returned to their seats from talking to guys two rows back that Rory and Lane realized what they were up against.

"Oh my G-d! He is so gorgeous." Rory shrugged,

"I guess."

"Listen, there's a massive party going on right around the corner."

"So?" asked Lane, oblivious to the innerworkings of the mind of a Chilton Socialite.

"So they invited us." Lane and Rory stole a skeptical glance,

"Who?"

"Jeff and Sean. We've been talking to them this whole time; they're extremely cool."

"Are we going?" added Madeline excitedly.

"Going where?" Lane and Rory asked together.

"To the party?" Rory pointed out the obvious,

"There's a concert going on."

"The band won't miss us." Lane decidedly shut her mouth as Rory protested,

"We can't just leave, Louise."

"It's America, Rory."

"We have to meet my mom after the show."

"Oh, come on."

"What do you mean 'Oh come on'? We have to meet my mother after the concert. The band may not miss us but Lorelai sure will." Lane sniggered and whispered so only Rory could hear it,

"And Luke would be... not so thrilled. In fact, you would never be let out of the house again." Rory nodded subtly as Madeline, oblivious to the side-conversation, added,

"These guys are so cute."

"Oh, that's great, but we're not going anywhere."

"What, are you afraid?" Rory scoffed and Lane nodded as she protested,

"Of going out into a strange city with two guys I don't know? Yeah."

"Rory, please!" Rory shook her head vehemently,

"No!" Louise stood up, shooting the Stars Hollow girls a dirty look,

"Well, we're going."

"No you're not," Rory protested. Louise ignored her,

"Paris, join please?" Paris kept her eyes glued on the stage,

"No, thanks."

"Fine. C'mon Madeline." Rory, almost yelling, asked over _Walk Like an Egyptian_,

"And just what am I supposed to tell my mother?" Louise narrowed her eyes at the petite brunette,

"That you're a very good little girl." Louise briskly walked away as Rory called out,

"Louise!" Madeline, always oblivious, added,

"The party's in a building on the corner of Waverly and First. Try to get away." Weakly, Rory called out,

"Madeline..."

"We'll be back by the time the concert's over." As Rory and Lane exchanged skeptically knowing glances, Paris mused next to them,

"You know, I really like this band."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By 9:30 that night, things had been going quite well for Jess and his new companions. They sat, watched classic movie duds with easy mockability (_Gigli _and _Glitter_ were among the movie choices for the night), and gorged on junk food.

By the time Luke had left, an hour and a half after his wife and daughter, Joshua was already asleep in his swing, and Hannah, now freshly changed into warm pink bunny pajamas (a gift from the Cohens; Kirsten loved shopping for baby clothes at any opportunity), had been gurgling happily in her own, watching the teenagers horse around.

Even Charlie had lightened up. He cracked amusing jokes during the movies (_If you switched J.Lo and Mariah Carey into each others' movies, do you think anyone would know the difference?_ and _Ben Affleck's hair reminds me, Em, I need to change the oil on your car._)

When the back doorbell rang, Jess excused himself and ran upstairs to the kitchen, pulling the door open to reveal Ally.

"Hey," he greeted, kissing her sweetly, "I wasn't expecting you... was I expecting you?" Ally shook her head,

"No, uh, Rory told me that I need to read _America: the Book_, so I came to get it." Jess grinned,

"Which copy do you want?"

"Huh?"

"Which copy? We have my copy, Rory's copy, and my parents' copy."

"You have _three_ copies of the same book?"

"Well, technically four. We keep Lane's copy here as a safety precaution in case of a Mrs. Kim raid."

"What makes _that_ so dangerous?"

"Pages ninety-nine to one-hundred." Ally narrowed her eyes,

"What's on ninety-nine and one-hundred?"

"Oh, my dear, you must read and see." Jess turned and grabbed his copy off of the kitchen counter, where he'd left it earlier that morning,

"Here you go. You can borrow my copy."

"Thank you kindly, gentle sir." Jess cocked his head to one side,

"I never want to hear you say that again." Ally smiled, but it disappeared as she saw Emory appear through the door to the kitchen,

"Jess?" Jess turned around quickly,

"Oh, hey, Em... Emory, this is my girlfriend Ally. Ally, this is Emory."

"Nice to meet you," Ally said politely, a false smile pulling at her lips.

"Yeah, you too... Jess, Hannah's crying and we don't know why. We thought you might be able to figure it out." Jess smirked,

"Yeah, I'll be down in a sec," As Emory disappeared down the stairs, Jess turned back to Ally, "C'mon in." Ally shook her head,

"No, no, I, um... my mom wants me home." Jess looked deep into her eyes. She was lying. He didn't know why, but she was lying. Deciding it was better not to pry, he asked,

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, um, I should get home... I'll call you later?"

"Sure." She kissed him half-heartedly and turned, skulking home. _Without an "I love you"._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Well?" Paris tapped her foot impatiently as Lane fidgeted with her belt buckle.

"I couldn't find Mom, Sookie, or Kirsten anywhere." The concert had been over for twenty minutes and the girls who had remained were waiting obediently in front of the entrance; Louise and Madeline had yet to return.

"So, what do we do now?"

"I guess we just wait here for them to find us," Lane mused.

"Ok."

"I can't believe Louise and Madeline would just leave like that," Rory sighed.

"They've done it before." Lane scoffed,

"Nice."

"Yeah, well." Suddenly, Rory felt an urge to bring up Tristan. Paris explained that she understood him, albeit admitting that he was probably only flirting with her lately to get to Rory. Just as the conversation elevated, the three adults were spotted.

"Hey."

"There you are."

"Think fast! T-shirts for all the girls because I'm the good witch of the..." Lorelai said, tossing a t-shirt to each girl, pausing as she realized that she had two extras, "Hey, aren't you missing a couple of kids?" Rory sighed, and Lane answered,

"They left."

"Excuse me?" asked Kirsten incredulously.

"Madeline and Louise met these guys and they..." explained Rory.

"What guys?"

"I don't know, they were sitting behind us and they were having a party."

"Unbelievable! Let's go, come on, move." Lorelai said, ushering them to the car.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at an apartment building, Lorelai ranting,

"I leave the house with four girls, I'm coming home with four girls." She, Kirsten, and Sookie began knocking on random doors, asking people if they'd seen the girls. Paris stared gawking,

"She's gonna knock on every door in the entire building, isn't she?"

"Yep," nodded Lane.

"Wow."

"I wonder if I was missing if my mom would come looking for me like that," Paris said sadly.

"Paris, you know she would."

"Yeah, or at least she'd send somebody." As Lorelai knocked on another door, Sookie called out,

"Music."

"Let's go." A guy answered the door and Rory stepped up closer behind her mother,

"Mom, that's one of the guys."

"Yeah?" said the guy.

"Thanks. Hi, could you move please?" Kirsten stood with an arm around Lane and Rory each, Sookie touching Lane's shoulder as Lorelai pushed through into the apartment as the guy looked perplexed,

"What?"

"Hey, did you miss me?"

"Lorelai," jumped Louise.

"Mrs. Danes. Put the cups down, let's move."

"Is there a problem?" asked the clueless guy.

"Yeah, see those two idiots over there? They're 16- underage, and I bet you're not. I also bet those big fancy party cups aren't holding lemonade. You really want to end any further conversations with me, so step aside, Skippy." Lorelai turned on Louise and Madeline, "Move your asses outside - now!"

After they'd stepped outside, Lorelai turned on the two girls, Kirsten holding Lane, Rory, and Paris back.

"Hey. I am not even going to begin to tell you how completely insane it is to take off with anyone you don't know, or drink things that you don't know what's in them, or act like you have a clue when you don't, but so help me G-d if you ever pull a stunt like this again, it will not be around my kid! Do you understand me?" Louise and Madeline's eyes went wide,

"Yes," they both said.

"Good, now let's go. I can't wait to meet your parents. We have some catching up to do. I think we'll just talk and talk and talk all night long."

"You know what?" smiled Paris as they walked down the hallway, Louise and Madeline's heads hanging, "I think this is the best night I've ever had."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory, Lane, Seth, and Ryan stood together at the charity rummage sale, Seth whining about how he hadn't gone to the concert,

"I cannot believe I missed it."

"The concert was amazing." Ryan grinned,

"Forget about the concert. I wanted to see Lorelai pull those idiots out of that guy's apartment." Lane laughed,

"It definitely was a Kodak moment." Rory sighed,

"I still can't believe you're off of house arrest."

"Rory, stop it."

"No, I mean, seriously, like, I thought I'd never see you out of a Chilton uniform ever again. You look good out of a sweater."

"Rory..." Ryan glared at her warningly.

"I mean, granted, you look good in anything..." He silenced her with a kiss,

"You done?"

"Quite, thank you... We need a movie night..."

"Why?"

"Because I need fictional stupid people to do fictional stupid things."

"Oh," moaned Seth, "But real stupid people doing real stupid things is so much more interesting."


	26. Author's note and Preview

_Hey, everyone. Sorry it's been forever since I've updated, but senior year has been way more hectic than expected (Applications, AP classes, etc.), and I've been working on the new chapter when the inspiration hits me. Best part of it is that I tend to write scenes in my notebook in school and then I lost the notebook where I wrote two of my best scenes. ARGH. But I'm zen with it now. I swear. I have a million different scenes already mapped out (I've had this chapter in my head for five months already) and a whole bunch of them written out. Right now I'm just finding time to write and what order to put them in. It's a conjunctive mess in my head. _

_So, just here to let you know: New chapter is on its way. But, to tide you over till then, here's a little **sneak peek**. Hope you like._

"Oh-ho, Ror, Tristan? _Tristan?_ Holy crap, does that suck."

"Thanks, Seth. I hadn't noticed," Rory rolled her eyes and sank deeper into the crook of Ryan's arm as they walked through the hallway of Chilton, Jess deeply immersed in his history book

"No, seriously, Rory, suck-fest."

"I _know_, Seth."

"Suuuuuuck, suck suck suck suck. Suck suck suck. Suck. Su..."

"Seth, she _knows_!" Seth, Rory, and Jess all jumped back at the sound of Ryan's outburst.

"Ok, Ry, she knows. Got it..." Seth said, looking for any escape from the conversation, "Hey, Jess, look, a bathroom! Let's go see if we can find George Michael." Jess, nervous, nodded and ran ahead with Seth, ducking into the bathroom.

"Hey, what was _that_ all about?" Ryan shook his head,

"Nothing."

"That's a lie. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Rory."

"It's not nothing, Ryan. You wouldn't blow up at your brother over nothing."

"I have in the past."

"This is different. Are you upset that I'm gonna be busy for another weekend?"

"No. I told you, Rory, it's nothing. Seth was being annoying and it was bothering you, I could tell, so I stopped him."

"It wasn't bothering me that much, Ryan... Is that it? You're mad that I can't hang out?"

"N..."

"Cuz last week, you seemed a little upset when I told you that I couldn't watch _American Wedding_ with you."

"That's not it, Rory."

"Then what is it?"

"_Nothing_," he insisted. Rory suddenly sighed,

"Oh, I know! I know why you're upset. How could I be so blind? You're upset because I'm working with _Tristan_, aren't you!"

"No, Rory."

"Yes! That's why you're so short-tempered! You're upset about me working with Tristan!"

"Rory!"

"Look, nothing's gonna happen, Ry."

"Rory, drop it! I yelled at Seth because he was being annoying. That's it! Now leave it be!" Rory sighed in resignation, and allowed the conversation to fall in an uncomfortable silence. After a moment, Rory piped up,

"Let's go find our brothers. They went looking for George Michael and they've been in there for a few minutes. Could be trouble."


	27. Tears and Fears

_A/N- Aaaaaand, drum roll, pleeeeease... The new chapter of Hello Sunshine has arrived! Hehe, sorry it took so long, but for some reason I could not decide what order to put everything in. I'm working on ideas for the new chapter and I'll try to have it out quicker, but right now I'm doing college apps and it takes up waaay too much time. I'm considering quitting school and becoming a tightrope walker. Whatcha think?_

_A/N 2- Questions!... Kinda don't have any... Comments... There's less gushiness in this chapter. In fact, this is an emotional kinda chapter. Yeah... Umm, addressing the ASP thing? I integrate dialogue from the show into the chapter a lot of the time, as I'm trying to keep the storylines similar, just seeing how they change with the added characters and changed relationships. It's easier with other chapters than others to change it, but most of the time, I'll add thoughts and such. Sorry if I offended you, but yeah, I thought people realize that I do that sometimes... I apologize if I didn't explain that..._

_Dedicated to: Those who knew that the TV show in the last chapter was **Saturday Night Live**. That would be: Colleen, Jen, Chelsea (My pal!), xbrokenxheartedx, potostfbeyeluvr, GilmoreGirlsFanatic08, charsrox13, Du Grey, auditeur, SmartiePantz, and Jess._

_And to: Those who knew that the pages of America: The Book were filled with nakedSupremeCourt Justices! Yay!... That's: Fashiongurl3188 andGilmoreGirlsFanatic08. Far too few in my book. Read it, for your ownsanity. It's hysterical._

_New challenge: What Broadway show is the quote from Seth's voicemail from?_

_Disclaimer: Not mine. I'm just having a playdate with them til it's time for curfew._

Tears and Fears

"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Lorelai groaned, turning her pink baseball cap to the side.

"Because," Luke grunted, "We haven't done anything like this in a long time. It's been too hectic. Now that we have time to, we're going to." Kirsten sighed,

"Lorelai, make the most of it." Lorelai laughed,

"Look at Kirsten pretending that she wants to play baseball..."

"Softball," corrected Luke, losing patience.

"Whatever. Not two hours ago, you were the one telling me 'Do it. Do it and then we can go for makeovers and a spa day after and they can't say anything about it.'"

"Nice, mom," said Seth, stepping out the back door of his house, playing with the neck on his baseball t-shirt.

"Ok, where are the rest of the kids?" asked Sandy, quickly getting impatient. Jess suddenly emerged, "Smooth, but we're still missing two. Four if you count the twins."

"Patience, my father. If you build it, they will come."

"Oh, Seth, I'm impressed."

"Because I'm willingly playing baseball?"

"Softball," corrected Luke again, "And it's not even real softball. It's modified softball. We're playing with a beach ball and a plastic bat so that no one gets hurt!"

"Whatever!"

"Seth, I'm impressed because you made a baseball movie reference."

"Well, a movie's a movie."

"Oh, don't say that," breathed Jess.

"Oh, that's right. We can hardly call _Glitter _the same thing as _Best in Show_."

"Unless you want lightning to strike you," shrugged Lorelai. Sandy impatiently tapped at his _Grease _watch,

"That son of mine and that daughter of yours are going to be going on none of those dates of theirs if they don't get out here soon!" Ryan and Rory suddenly emerged through the back door,

"Now, that was unnecessary, Sandy," Rory scolded, hoisting Hannah higher in her arms; the baby reached out for Luke.

"Sorry, but you guys were taking forever."

"Well, we had to make our makeup perfect," joked Ryan, clutching the now-six-month-old Joshua, who played happily with a toy truck; though Seth seemed to have an avid fear of holding the twins, Ryan was generally more comfortable with the concept.

"Ryan, honey, we promised that we wouldn't tell about you playing with mommy's makeup if you didn't give us the opportunity."

"I was three!" he looked over at Rory, who was stifling a giggle as she passed her sister to her father, "I was three," he repeated, looking over at his brother, who was also giggling, "I was three. You were ten when you tried on mom's..."

"Okay!" Seth cut Ryan off, "Play ball!"

In the game, the Danes versus Cohens, Team Danes (or as Lorelai and Rory had renamed it, Team Pretty) was up to bat first, with Lorelai first batter.

She swung at the ball thrown by Sandy, missing the first and second times, but making contact the third. She ran to second base, jumping up and down,

"I hit the ball! Honey, did you see? I hit it! Luke!" Luke nodded,

"Yes, Lorelai. I saw." Lorelai shook her head,

"Hey! Hey! Time out!" She held her hands up in a "T" and ran to her husband, giving him a kiss, "I did it! I hit the ball!"

"Lorelai, go back to your base."

"Fine. Just one more kiss." Luke sighed and leaned in to kiss her before she ran back. Rory was up next. On the first swing, she hit the ball, and hit it hard.

Lorelai reached home and jumped on the base, and Rory reached third.

"Ryan! I hit a triple!"

"I saw!" Ryan, playing third baseman, leaned forward and kissed his girlfriend, letting himself linger.

"Hey!" Luke protested, "That's enough, thank you very much!" Rory pulled away and muttered to Ryan,

"We'll continue this later."

"I'll meet you in your room after the game gets called on account of Seth being hit in the head by the plastic bat."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_"The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself..._" Rory reread the crucial part of F. Scott Fitgerald's novel before the bell rang for her eighth period English class. She read peacefully, contemplating any possible unification of the two "Eggs," East and West, until she felt a warm breath rolling down her neck. Shuddering, she turned around,

"What, Tristan?"

"Just looking on," he said pseudo-innocently, shrugging his shoulders, a mischievous grin evident on his smug face.

"Well, get your own copy," she slammed the book closed.

"Well, well, aren't _we _testy today?" Rory sighed,

"No, Tristan. _We _are not anything. _We_ will never be anything. _We_ do not exist!" Both teenagers were oblivious to the bell ringing in the background and continued to argue.

"There's no need to scream, Rory," He lowered his voice, "We all know that you're madly in love with me."

"I am _not_! You need to get over this psychotic need to get me to like you! It will not work! Now shut up and leave me alone!" The teacher knocked lightly on the chalkboard,

"That's quite enough, Miss Danes, Mr. DuGray."

"My apologies," nodded Tristan, moving towards his desk, winking slyly at Rory as he walked. Rory, however, scowled at him before sinking deeper into her chair, her cheeks shining red,

"I'm sorry, Mr. Medina."

"That's quite alright, Miss Danes. In fact, you two have given me a terrific idea for a project." The class groaned,

"Thanks, Rory."

"Smooth, Tristan."

"Ok, now, I think that what we need here is to feel the characters' relationships in this novel, as relationships are one of the central themes of _Gatsby_. Now, I will be assigning you in pairs or groups, and you have one week to create a 5-minute presentation on the relationship between these people and how it affects the storyline," A couple of kids groaned, but Mr. Medina laughed, "Relax, guys, it was this or a six-page test with an essay," the kids nodded, and he continued, "Ok, right, so Tristan DuGray and Rory Danes, since you gave me the idea, you'll be working together as Gatsby and Daisy."

"What?" asked Rory incredulously, "Mr. Medina, please..."

"I'm sorry, Miss Danes, but my decision is final." _First Madeline, Louise, and Paris, and now **this?**_

"Fine," she said, dejected. Mr. Medina continued,

"Ok, Dylan Singer and Robert Lucas as Nick and Gatsby. Allison Fischer, Elizabeth Liu, and Gordon Matthews as Daisy..." His voice trailed off as Rory heard Tristan's whisper,

"The Daisy to my Gatsby. This should be fun."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Ring. Rrrring._ _Rrrrrrrrrring._

"_Yes I am! I'm Gary Coleman from TV's Diff'rent Strokes. I made a lotta money that got stolen by my folks! Now I'm broke and I'm the butt of everyone's jokes, but I'm here - The Superintendent!_" Lane rolled her eyes; only her boyfriend would use that quote from _that_ song on his voicemail, "Hi, you've reached the master of all things media, Seth Cohen. I'm not here right now, so leave the thing with the thing and the... thing..." Lane sighed,

"Hi, Seth, it's me. You know, your song quote might confuse a few people. Not me, granted we went to see the show last week, so I could sing the song along with you, but other people might... Anyway, I, um... I feel like I haven't seen you or talked to you in a while... Just... call me back soon, ok?"

_Click._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Oh-ho, Ror, Tristan? _Tristan?_ Holy crap, does that suck."

"Thanks, Seth. I hadn't noticed," Rory rolled her eyes and sank deeper into the crook of Ryan's arm as they walked through the hallway of Chilton, Jess deeply immersed in his history book

"No, seriously, Rory, suck-fest."

"I _know_, Seth."

"Suuuuuuck, suck suck suck suck. Suck suck suck. Suck. Su..."

"Seth, she _knows_!" Seth, Rory, and Jess all jumped back at the sound of Ryan's outburst.

"Ok, Ry, she knows. Got it..." Seth said, looking for any escape from the conversation, "Hey, Jess, look, a bathroom! Let's go see if we can find George Michael." Jess, nervous, nodded and ran ahead with Seth, ducking into the bathroom.

"Hey, what was _that_ all about?" Ryan shook his head,

"Nothing."

"That's a lie. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Rory."

"It's not nothing, Ryan. You wouldn't blow up at your brother over nothing."

"I have in the past."

"This is different. Are you upset that I'm gonna be busy for another weekend?"

"No. I told you, Rory, it's nothing. Seth was being annoying and it was bothering you, I could tell, so I stopped him."

"It wasn't bothering me that much, Ryan... Is that it? You're mad that I can't hang out?"

"N..."

"Cuz last week, you seemed a little upset when I told you that I couldn't watch _American Wedding_ with you."

"That's not it, Rory."

"Then what is it?"

"_Nothing_," he insisted. Rory suddenly sighed,

"Oh, I know! I know why you're upset. How could I be so blind? You're upset because I'm working with _Tristan_, aren't you!"

"No, Rory."

"Yes! That's why you're so short-tempered! You're upset about me working with Tristan!"

"Rory!"

"Look, nothing's gonna happen, Ry."

"Rory, drop it! I yelled at Seth because he was being annoying. That's it! Now leave it be!" Rory sighed in resignation, and allowed the conversation to fall in an uncomfortable silence. After a moment, Rory piped up,

"Let's go find our brothers. They went looking for George Michael and they've been in there for a few minutes. Could be trouble."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hi, you've reached Lane Kim's cell phone, courtesy of the prepaid angels of Connecticut's Virgin Mobile. If you're calling in regards to anything musical, leave a clip of the song you'd like to discuss and a 5-word summary of the discussion. If you're Seth, I'll call you back, my Emo Princess. If you're any other member of the Kelly Road Posse, I'll see you Sunday at the Film Festival. And if you're my mama, I'm sorry you had to find out about me having a cell phone this way."

"Hey, Lanie. It's Seth. Umm... listen, I thought we talked about that whole 'Emo Princess' thing. I told you, it was just a game of 'Musical Pretty Pretty Princess' that got way out of control... Ok, so, I was just trying to get in touch; it feels like it's been a while... Ok, when you pick your phone up from the Danes' house, I guess you'll get the message. Love you. Bye."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, I think that the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy adds to the theme of fantasy between the characters." Tristan nodded,

"Ok."

"Did you even read the book?" Rory sighed.

"No. Did you?"

"When I was ten."

"My, my, we've got a bookworm on our hands, don't we."

"I prefer 'Literary Caterpillar,' but yes."

"So if you read _The Great Gatsby_ at ten, you were probably, what, eleven when you read _Catcher in the Rye_?"

"Nine, actually," Rory corrected, "I went through a Salinger phase. I read _Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters, Franny and Zooey, Seymour: An Introduction, Catcher, _and that one short story _A Perfect Day for Bananafish_ in the course of a month."

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"So, you like Salinger?" Rory nodded,

"He's probably one of my favorites. Though Ryan and I think that Salinger needs some new characters."

"How so?"

"Seymour Glass and Holden Caulfield. They're really similar if you look at it carefully. Existential and see everything that's wrong in the world."

"Wow."

"You never read any of them, did you?"

"No. I read _Catcher_. Only school book I ever read. I really liked it."

"It's my favorite book." Tristan closed his copy of Gatsby and placed it on the table,

"So, in between all this book reading and studying, what else do you do with your time? You watch TV?"

"Are you kidding? My mom and I watch TV constantly. Every night we watch _The Daily Show_ together."

"Ah, a fake news junkie."

"Of course. Jon Stewart is brilliant. The man notices things that no one should ever be able to notice, but it's always hysterical."

"True. What do you think of Lewis Black?"

"I love him. There's this one old comedy special of his. '_At Ihop, they give you this thing called a hovel of coffee. It's this gigantic jug of coffee. And it makes me feel good, because it makes me think that somebody's coming and I don't know who.' _The man's a genius." Tristan laughed,

"Yeah, I've seen that one. _'My health club is the International House of Pancakes, because there's always someone there who weighs two-hundred pounds more than you'll **ever** weigh.'_"

_Wow. Tristan seems almost... human..._

"What about movies? You into movies?" Tristan shrugged,

"I enjoy the occasional classic."

"Such as?"

"_Casablanca_, believe it or not."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And _Citizen Kane._ But don't tell anyone. It'll ruin my rep."

"Ok."

They heard the back door open, the thud of the groceries on the table, and the click of the baby carrier on the floor.

Rory turned her head at her father's heavy footsteps.

"Hi, daddy," she greeted.

"Hey, sweetheart," he smiled at her; Hannah laughed at Rory from Luke's right arm and attempted to clap her hands together once.

"Umm, Tristan, this is my dad Luke and my sister Hannah," Rory said, standing up to properly introduce the two.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Danes," Tristan extended his right hand, but Luke grunted,

"Mm-hmm..." Rory eyed him warily; usually he told her friends to call him Luke, "Rory, can you help me with the groceries, please?"

"Sure, dad. Excuse me a minute, Tristan." She ducked out of the den and into the kitchen.

"So," Luke asked, putting Hannah into her playpen in the corner, "That's your _partner_ for English class?" Rory looked up at him, narrowing her eyes,

"Yes. Why?"

"I just... you didn't specify that it would be a umm... a boy... a guy... a blonde guy with spiky hair." Rory shrugged,

"I didn't think it was necessary." Luke sighed,

"It's just... I don't want to... I wouldn't have..."

"What? You wouldn't have what, dad?" Rory asked, her hands now on her hips.

"I don't know, Rory, I wouldn't have left you alone, ok? I wouldn't have let Jess go out, and your mother go out , and me go out all at the same time."

"Are you saying you don't trust me?" Rory asked incredulously.

"No, honey, no," he stammered, "It's not you I don't trust. It's... guys I don't trust around you."

"You let Ryan and me hang out alone."

"That's different. I know Ryan. I know he's not gonna hurt you. I don't trust this guy, Rory."

"You don't know him!" _Did I just defend Tristan? To my father? Am I getting into a fight with Daddy over **Tristan**? Well, call Dr. Seuss, it's topsy-turvy day._

"I know his type. And I don't want him alone with you, that's all."

"I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself." Luke suddenly stood up taller, an angry tone overtaking his voice,

"Hey, this is _my _house and you're _my_ kid and whether you like it or not, _I_ don't trust this guy. So I'm not going out of the house until he leaves. And you're not to go into your room and close the door. Is that clear, young lady?" Rory sighed and realized that he had been right all along; besides, she hated fighting with him and Tristan was _not_ worth it,

"Yes."

"Good." He put away the eggs and Rory came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist from a spot on his side,

"I'm sorry, daddy," she said quietly, "You're right."

"I'm right about _what_?" Luke panicked, "Did he try something with you! Cuz I swear to G-d, I'll kill him!"

"What? No, no, nothing like that... You were right not to trust him. Not that he's done anything or even would do anything, but we don't know enough about him to assume he won't do something sneaky."

"Oh, ok..." She cuddled up into his side again,

"I'm sorry, daddy," she repeated. He wrapped his arms around her,

"It's ok." He kissed the crown of her head and squeezed her tightly.

"I love you."

"Back at ya," He gave her one last squeeze and then told her, "Go finish your project."

"Ok."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Message, I'll call you back, You called, Beep, reached Seth Cohen's cell phone. Put it in your own order." _Beeeeep._

"Seth, it's Lane. Calling you back for calling me back for calling you back for calling me back. It's been a while, as we've both said. Thought maybe I'd catch you or you'd catch me or we'd catch a movie... That sounded stupid. Just call me back, ok?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_If x+y+z4, x-2y-z1, and 2x-y-2z-1, then what does the... what!_

Jess dropped his pencil haphazardly onto his notebook and stared incredulously at the math problem. He quickly grabbed his TI-83 and punched the numbers in to see what would happen. _Syntax Error. Terrific. Does anybody even know what that means?_

"Uggggh," he groaned, sitting himself up higher against the back of his bed; despite the mahogany desk that Luke and Lorelai had bought him standing in the corner, Jess preferred to do homework on his bed.

He soon decided he couldn't figure the question out on his own.

"RORY!" He called up the stairs.

"She's out, Jess!" Lorelai's voice wafted down to him, "She went to Lane's!" He groaned again,

"Ok, thanks!"

"Anything I could help you with?" Jess heard Lorelai moving busily through the kitchen above. Jess shook his head,

"Math homework!"

"Oh... Sorry..."

"It's ok..." She appeared at the top of the stairs to Jess' room,

"Why don't you call Seth?"

"He and Ryan are working at the store."

"So there goes my second option..." She said, moving next to Jess' bed.

"Yeah."

"I'd tell you to call the girls, but I've been told of the umm... topic of their discussion, and it's one that you really shouldn't interrupt..."

"That's alright." There was a slight pause as Lorelai thought,

"What about your new friends?"

"Who?"

"Early and all them. Are they any good at math?" Jess grinned,

"Emory is. Good idea. Thanks, mom." Lorelai kissed his forehead affectionately,

"Anytime, kid." She hurried back up the stairs and he quickly dialed the familiar number. Almost immediately, the other line picked up,

"Hello, International House of Waffles Extravaganza, where our slogan is 'Ihowe? No, youhoe!' How can I help you?" Jess heard Charlie's muffled grumble from the background and Emory's cough in mock annoyance, "It's Jess, Charlie. Get a sense of humor." Jess grinned at Charlie's muted grunt, "Charlie says hi in boy language, Jess."

"Well, tell him I say 'unh' back." Emory's voice turned away from the phone,

"Jess grunts in your general direction," She turned her mouth back to the phone, "So, what's up?"

"I need your help."

"Oooh, on what? Girl problems? Boy problems?"

"Math problems."

"Uggh, fine... What is it?"

"If x+y+z my brain and 2z+4y-3zmy head, then why does x-7y+2zenormous explosions from between my ears?"

"Oh, systems of equations... Yeah, um, they're..." he heard her hesitate, "You know what, Jess, they're not my cup of tea."

"They're not?"

"Nope."

"I thought everything in math was."

"Well, um, you, uh, thought wrong, there, buddy." Jess narrowed his eyes,

"Seriously, Em, if you're playing games with me, I need you to stop, cuz I have work in an hour. And the boss is my dad, so that can have some all-around repercussions."

"No, uh, Jess, sorry, can't help you there. But you know who _is _good at systems? Ella."

"Ella?" He repeated.

"Yeah. She gets, um, A's on all of the systems of equations tests." Jess sighed,

"Ok. I'll call Ella. Thanks."

"No problem."

"Bye, Em."

"Bye, Jess." Jess hung up and called Ella quickly. _That was weird._

On the other end, Emory grinned devilishly as she flipped her phone closed.

"What did Jess want?" Charlie asked, looking up from the copy of _The Crucible_ on his lap.

"Math help." He narrowed his eyes,

"It didn't sound like you helped him."

"Oh, no, I redirected him."

"You... Em, no."

"What?" she asked innocently, her eyes glinting.

"You didn't..."

"So what if I did? They're friends."

"Emory, he has a girlfriend."

"I'm not doing anything," she grinned, her tone indicating exactly the opposite or her words.

"Leave them alone. He has a girlfriend."

"They're perfect for each other!" she blurted out.

"Emory Lynn Sanders, you stay out of other peoples' business."

"I'm not doing anything any good friend would do, Charlie."

"Yeah, well, we'll see what happens."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess rushed around the diner, balancing plates on his hand.

"BLT no mayo, Diet Coke. Cheeseburger with extra pickles and french fries, Sprite." The people at table four looked up at him,

"Thank you." He quickly moved to table three,

"Can I get you anything else, sir?" He asked the man sitting alone, sipping quietly at his coffee.

"Just a refill, please."

"You're sure?"

"Yes." Jess sighed,

"Coming right up." He took the look of the man in; he was new to the diner, messy dark hair protruding every which way, his dark eyes downcast. The man seemed familiar, though Jess couldn't place it. _In fact, _Jess thought, _he looks like someone I've never met._ He paused in his own mind. _Note to self: No more quoting Mary-Kate and Ashley movies. Other note to self: Stop watching movies with Rory and Ally._

Jess walked away behind the counter and heard the bell over the door jingle. Rory briskly stepped up next to him and poured herself a cup of coffee, gulping quickly.

"How'd your project go with Tristan?" She sighed,

"Pretty well. We're almost done, but he's coming back tomorrow so we can put the finishing touches on it."

"Ok."

"I need to ask you a favor, though." Jess rolled his eyes and turned to his sister,

"Shoot."

"Tomorrow. I need you to be home during the day."

"Because?" She put her cup down and narrowed her eyes at him,

"Why do you think?"

"Dad?"

"Yes. Dad won't go out unless either him, mom, or you are home tomorrow."

"And you want _me _to be home because..."  
"Because with Mom or Dad being there, it'd be awkward. I'm still getting acclimated to Chilton, and so are you. Could you imagine being _forced_ to work with Charlie, if he wasn't your friend, having him come over, and having our _parents_ staring over your shoulder the whole time? You, Seth, and Ryan are all talking to other people in school already. Hell, _you_ have _friends _at school. I have no one, and having Mom and Dad staring at me, or, well, _him_ is equivalent to walking around school wearing a shirt that says _'My daddy says that I can talk to boys when I grow up.'_... Please, Jess?" Jess sighed,

"You're lucky that I have Ella coming over tomorrow night to work on math homework." Rory squealed,

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Lane Kim's cell phone you have reached. I am not out at the beach. Leave a message at the tone so I won't feel so alone."

_Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep_

"Lane. Message- cheesy. Me- lonely. Phone- waiting to be dialed. Do it, Lanie. Your turn. Love you."

_Click_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ok, so, Gatsby views the relationship between Daisy and himself as stable and passionate, but he sees the one of her and her husband as shaky and boring."

"Mm-hmm," said Tristan, wandering around, looking at each picture on the mantle individually.

"Can you focus, please?" He picked up a picture,

"Who's this?"

"My dad with me when I was two. Homework?"

"And this?"

"My grandparents. Sit." Ignoring her, he picked up another picture, glared at it, and pasted on a sickeningly fake smile,

"I know who this is," he turned it around to reveal the picture of her, Ryan, Seth, and Jess standing with their hands in their pockets, one of her mother's favorite pictures.

"Yes, you do," she nodded shyly.

"So, you guys are really close?"

"We grew up together. Ryan and Seth live next door. Their dad nicknamed it 'tag-team parenting'."

"Did he now?"

"You thought we all just _happened_ to start the same day and Ryan and I just _happened_ to be boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"Frankly? I didn't think about it... You guys really are just _too_ cute," he said sarcastically. Rory rolled her eyes and gave up; when he wanted to help, he would. She kept her eyes glued to the paper as he shuffled to the bookshelf, picking up the heaviest photo-album there- the one labeled "The Kids."

Rory knew that album well, but didn't let on as Tristan flipped through the pages.

Rory holding Hannah, Jess holding Josh when the twins first learned to smile.

Seth and Rory in the town's swimming pool at age seven.

Little Rory and Ryan asleep in the backseat of Sandy's old car.

Rory and Lane hugging each other at their Junior High graduation.

Rory changing Josh's diaper as Hannah, in Ryan's arms, watched on.

And then, some of Rory's favorite candid shots:

Hannah, asleep on her daddy's chest in his bed, Rory laying next to them, her head on his stomach.

The kids playing Pogs in the street on the first warm day of spring.

Ryan, Seth, and Rory whizzing by in a self-organized bike race.

Ryan, Seth, and Rory, age ten, asleep on the floor of the den, with popcorn and candy bowls scattered across the room.

Then there was one picture that made Tristan's jaw drop.

Ryan and Rory, age fifteen-and-a-half, asleep on what he assumed was her bed, his arm draped around her.

He quickly threw the offending 8-pound book on the hardwood floor, where it landed with a deafening _thud_. As she put her hand over her chest, Rory heard her baby siblings' anguished cries over the baby monitor.

"Terrific, Tristan. You woke them up."

"Sorry. Accident... It slipped."

"Across the room?"

"I'm strong." Rory rolled her eyes and ran to Jess' bedroom door,

"Jess, help me with them, please?" Jess came running upstairs,

"What happened?"

"A book... fell... and it woke up Hannah and Josh." Jess raised his eyebrow,

"Fell?" Tristan stood up,

"My fault, actually, I dropped a heavy book. Sorry." Jess glared at him.

_If there's another thud and it isn't a book, you're in trouble. Or in other words, touch her and die._

"Well, don't next time," Jess bit as he ran up the stairs, Rory trailing him. Tristan continued to sit, picking up the homework to distract him from his thoughts. Two minutes later, Rory and Jess came back downstairs, each holding a twin. Jess, holding Hannah, shot Jess another dirty look before turning to Rory.

"I'm gonna go make them their bottles." He moved to go put the little girl into her swing, but Tristan spoke up,

"I can hold her if you want." Jess scoffed and Rory shot him a look that he quickly understood.

_Behave yourself._

"No. She's fine," Jess said quickly as he scurried to the kitchen. As Rory put Joshua into his blue swing, Tristan stood up,

"Call me crazy, but I get the feeling that your brother doesn't like me." Rory kissed Joshua's forehead and turned on the swing, turning to Tristan,

"Honestly?"

"No, lie to me."

"Honestly, no, he doesn't like you. And neither does my dad."

"Neither does your _dad_?"

"Nope."

"Is there a reason?" Rory nodded,

"Of course... It took a lot for us to become a family, and because of that, we're all very protective of each other, but, naturally, being the eldest girl, everyone keeps the closest watch on me. To spend years working to get your family together? It takes a while to get you to lay off."

Jess returned with bottles for Hannah and Josh, but quickly looked up at Rory,

"I have to run out for a minute."

"Why?"

"I need to pick up more formula for the twins." Rory rolled her eyes,

"And you need to do that right now?" Jess handed her a piece of paper,

"I just found this note from mom. I'll be back in a little while... Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he added, shooting Tristan a threatening glare. Tristan stared back at him, narrowing his eyes,

"Oh, don't worry." Rory turned to her brother, giving him a small push towards the door, breaking up the Alpha-male fight about to take place.

As Jess stepped out the door, he turned to Rory and lowered his voice,

"As much as I'd hate to quote _Tad Hamilton_, guard your carnal treasure."

"Goodbye, _dad_!" she said exasperatedly. Rory shut the door and turned back to Tristan.

"So, is there a reason that your brother doesn't trust me?"

"I told you." Tristan shook his head,

"That's not it." Rory sighed,

"My dad's very protective of me. Jess plays off of that. If they see me in trouble, they pounce." Rory said, sinking into the couch.

"And they see you in trouble now?" Rory sighed,

"They _think_ they do." Tristan raised his eyebrows, obviously intrigued,

"Oh yeah? Why is that?" Rory rolled her eyes; she did _not_ want to admit this to anyone, much less Tristan,

"Because."

"Because why?"

"C'mon, Tristan, don't make me say it."

"I don't know what you mean."

"They know... you're gonna make me say this?"

"Say what?"

"Ugggh... they know that I find you attractive."

"You do?" Rory rolled her eyes,

"Of course I do. It doesn't mean I _like _you. I'm in love with my boyfriend. But it's obvious that you're a good-looking guy. You've got girls falling all ov..." She was cut off by his lips on hers. She closed her eyes for a brief second and took in what was happening.

_There's a guy kissing me... and it's not Ryan..._

In the middle of her thought process, as she was about to pull away in vile disgust (as soon as it had hit her what was going on), she heard an angry gasp and quick heavy running from the freshly-slammed front door. She turned around to look through the window to see Ryan stomping down the stairs. Rory quickly pushed Tristan away, screaming,

"You asshole!" and ran out the door, "Ryan! Ry!"

"Save it, Rory."

"No, Ryan, stop," She ran down the stairs and caught his arm in her hand, "Ry, stop! It's not what it looks like!" Ryan scoffed,

"I haven't heard that one before."

"It's true!"

"What, Rory, you each had half of a magnetic earring in your lips and you couldn't help being pulled together? Or he tripped over Hannah's pacifier and you broke his fall with your face?"

"Ryan, please," Rory pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.

"No, forget it, Rory. I can't do it. I can't take this anymore. Every time I turn around lately, you're with Tristan. It's too much. I can't do this anymore, Rory... I just... I just can't." He said, obviously holding back his anger and sadness. Pulling his arm away, he trotted in the opposite direction towards the town.

Rory allowed the tears to flow freely down her cheeks as she watched the retreating figure of the boy she'd loved for ten years. She was startled (but didn't move) at the sound of Tristan's voice,

"What just happened?"

"Get out." Tristan narrowed his eyes,

"What?"

"You heard me. Get out. Go home. Get the hell away from me."

"But the project..."

"I'll finish the G-ddamn project on my own. Just get the hell away from my house."

"Rory..."

"Look, not only do I want you the hell away from me, but my dad and brother will be home soon and they'll kick your ass. Get out. _Now_," She said, never having made eye contact with him until the last '_now'_.

Turning away, she jogged back up the rest of the way before closing the door and collapsing against it, sinking to the floor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Lorelai?"

"Luke?" Lorelai moved through the supermarket, pulling things from the shelves and dropping them into the cart as she held her cell phone between her chin and shoulder.

"Honey, I think you should come home."

"What? Why?" she asked into the phone, examining a package of Hamburger Helper.

"Because..." Luke lowered his voice, "Because I just came home and I found our daughter on the couch, wrapped in an afghan, crying her eyes out as she watched her fifteenth birthday party on tape."

"Was it happy crying?"

"No. And she was watching this part with her and Ryan dancing together and she kept saying, 'I thought it'd last forever... I can't believe this...'." Lorelai put the package down hastily,

"You don't think..."

"I don't know... all she said to me was 'It's done, Daddy, it's all over'... I don't know..." Lorelai panicked,

"Well, where's Jess?" She heard the rustling of paper in her husband's fist,

"He's out. Rory said something about baby formula and then went back to 'I can't believe this.'" Lorelai gasped,

"Oh, no..." Leaving her cart behind, she ran to the baby formula aisle, "Jess!" He looked up guiltily,

"Hey, mom... don't tell dad I left... you needed the baby formula... why are you here?"

"Oh no, oh no, oh no..."

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"Luke, I'll be right home."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I am Seth Cohen's cell phone, hear me beep."

_Beeeeeeeeep._

"Seth, it's Lane. Something's wrong with Rory and she won't tell me what. Luke and Lorelai called me over to see if I could get her to talk. All I know is that something happened with her, Tristan, and Ryan, which I know cannot be good. Call me back, _please_."

_Click_.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess moved through the diner on Monday afternoon, already in a foul mood due to his father's reaction to him when he got home.

_"One thing, Jess. I asked you to do this one thing for me." _

"I know, dad. I'm sorry. I had to go out and get formula for the twins!"

"That couldn't wait!"

"It probably could've..."

"Exactly. It probably could've waited, but now your sister's miserable and I have to say, I'm really disappointed in you. You do know that if you had been there, that asshole wouldn't have tried whatever he did to Rory?"

"Yeah... I know... I'm sorry, dad..."

"Don't tell me. Tell Rory."

He grunted as he picked up the plates off the table; he had taken extra shifts covering for people to get back on Luke's good side. He walked back up to the dark man who'd only ordered coffee the day before. The man glanced up and mumbled,

"Just coffee, please." Jess sighed in frustration,

"Just coffee?"

"Yes. Thank y..."

"Are you sure? Cuz I can get you something... anything," he said, holding his temper to the best of his ability.

"No. Just coffee." Unbeknownst to Jess, Lorelai had just entered the diner, pushing the twins in their stroller.

"Look, I don't know wh..." Lorelai startled him by grabbing his shoulder; this man looked familiar and her mother's intuition told her that it was best to get Jess away from there,

"Hi, sweetie," Jess restrained himself and turned to face Lorelai, who pulled at his arm, yanking him from the situation.

"Hey! Mom!" He protested, "I'm working! I was helping that guy!"

"Yeah, he really looked '_helped_'. Happy with the service."

"You don't understand, mom. He's been sitting there for two hours, today and yesterday, ordering nothing but..." She stopped him,

"Do I look angry?"

"No..."

"Good... Look, why don't you take Josh and Hannah out for a little walk?"

"Won't dad get... mad?"

"Nah. You forget, I'm in good with the boss."

"I'm not right now," he muttered under his breath. She took his chin in her hand and lifted it up to look at her,

"Hey. He'll get over it. It's hard for him to see any of his kids in pain, much less Rory. He's not mad at you. He feels like he's failed her. He'll get over it. Ok?" He nodded and shot her a half-smile,

"Ok."

"Good. Go."

"Ok. Bye, mom." Thirty seconds after Jess had disappeared out the door, Luke descended the stairs.

"Hey, Burger Boy."

"Hey," he said quietly. Lorelai noticed his frazzled state,

"Are you ok?"

"Well," he looked around anxiously, "Where's Jess?"

"Took Josh and Hannah out for a walk."

"Good."

"You're not mad?" Lorelai ignored her question and tugged at her wrist, pulling her upstairs. She made it up, confused, "Wh... Luke! Luke, what are you doing!" He pulled her into the office and shut the door, "Well, now that you've successfully made me fall _up_ the stairs, would you please tell me what this is about?"

"Jimmy," he breathed.

"What?"

"Jimmy. The guy downstairs in Jimmy."

"Jimmy..." She said, realization dawning on her.

"Jimmy, Jess' Jimmy."

"But why..."

"I don't know. I saw him, he looked familiar, I dug out an old picture and it's _him._" Lorelai's eyes went wide,

"The Independence."

"What?"

"The Independence. He's staying at the inn."

"He's _what_?"

"The name. He registered under James Marian. He just left off the O. How could I not see it?"

"Hey, it's not your fault." She buried her head into his chest and fell silent for a few seconds before looking up at her husband,

"Well, what does he... what does he want?"

"I don't know... to talk to Jess? To take him back? He hasn't said anything."

"But he's..."

"Our son..."

"Are you gonna..."

"I'm gonna talk to him."

"Talk to who?" asked Jess, pushing the door open, a twin in each arm. Lorelai stammered,

"Umm... you..."

"Me? About what?" he asked, avoiding Luke's eye.

"About work tomorrow. Your, uh, mom wanted to know if you wanted to work tomorrow and pick up some extra cash." Jess kept his eyes downcast,

"Um... sure. I guess... what time?"

"7 to closing."

"Ok." He looked up at Lorelai, who moved forward and pulled Hannah out of his arms. Luke did the same with Josh and Jess ducked out the door, successfully keeping his eyes glued to the floor or to his mother's.

"When are you gonna go talk to him?" Luke sighed,

"Tonight. I'll have Caesar close up."

"Should I..."

"No. Stay home. Rory needs you."

"Ok..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"C'mon, bro, cheer up." Ryan lay still in his bed, ignoring Seth's attempts to brighten his room.

"Go away, Seth."

"No, c'mon. Get out of bed. You went into your room at ten last night, and no one's heard from you since, except to go to school. You drove alone today, ignored Rory all day. What's going on with you two? Did you have a fight?" Ryan rolled his eyes,

"What do you think?"

"I think yes... C'mon. How bad could it be? She won the 'who's prettier fight?'"

"No, Seth."

"She beat you at DDR?"

"No, Seth."

"She watched _Holy Grail _witho..."

"She kissed another guy, Seth!" he blurted out before he realized what he'd said, "Crap." Seth's eyes went wide,

"She... he... _who_?"

"Tristan... There, you happy? My girlfriend kissed Tristan."

"Are you sure?" Seth stammered.

"Am I _sure_? I was _there_, Seth! I walked in and their lips were together!" Seth was silent for a minute before asking,

"You're sure you didn't misinterpret it?" Ryan groaned,

"What are you, _her_? How could I have misinterpreted it!"

"I don't know... did you talk to her about it?"

"She tried to talk to me about it. I wouldn't do it. She kisses another guy, I don't wanna hear it."

"Ry... what did she say to you?"

"She said it wasn't what it looked like..."

"And did you listen to her?"

"No, Seth! I saw what I saw!" Seth paused, choosing his words carefully,

"But... how many times... have you been wrong in what you... how many... how often have your eyes lied to you, and how often has Rory?"

Ryan laid back in bed.

Annoying as his brother could be, he had a point.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess sat cross-legged on his bed, finishing up his history homework. However, his thoughts were not on the trials and tribulations of Vietnam-era soldiers. They were not even on the muffled sound of Rory's sniffling as she watched _Steel Magnolias_ upstairs. Rather, they were on an earlier conversation he'd had with Ally.

When he'd gone out for the walk with Hannah and Josh, he'd run into his girlfriend at the gazebo, and decided to act as though nothing was wrong with his personal life.

They'd quickly begun talking about school, and Jess brought up his Spanish class.

_"So Emory goes 'Señora Spevack, I swear 'Fievre' is a word.' Señora Spevack starts to laugh and starts arguing with her and Ella pulls out her Spanish-English dictionary and writes in it 'Fievre- a word created by Early Jacobs and Emory Sanders to describe their amazing Spanish skills; a term used by Paris Hilton. In English: 'That's hot.'" _

"Mmhmm."

"It was hysterical. Luckily, Señora Spevack has a sense of humor."

"Yeah..." Ally said, diverting her eyes, "So, are these little guys crawling at all yet?" Jess smiled,

"No, but last time Ella was over, Hannah actually pulled on her pants leg and made her pick her up. Hannah loves El..."

"Jess!" Jess blinked slowly at her,

"What?"

"Can we go two _seconds without you talking about _Ella _or _Emory_!" Jess had paused then, unsure of what had caused the sudden outburst, _

"Umm... yeah... sure... I didn't... I didn't realize I was talking about them that much..." Ally sighed,

"Yes, Jess. Them. Ella and Emory. Always lately."

"I... I didn't know you disliked them."

"I don't," she quickly covered, "I'd just like a different topic, please."

"Umm... sure..." He'd changed the subject, but kept it in mind.

Since when did Ally dislike his friends? Ally rarely disliked anyone...

Jess shrugged it off, reminding himself to call her later that night, after he'd studied online with Ella for math.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke stood at the door to room fourteen at the Independence Inn. He knocked quickly and waited until he heard footsteps. The door opened slowly and Luke stepped in uninvited.

"What are you doing here, Jimmy?"

"Nice to see you, too, Luke."

"_What _are you doing _here_, Jimmy?"

"Just passing through."

"Passing through from where?"

"California."

"California?"

"Yeah, I've been there for a few years now, seems to be working out."

"Well, glad to hear it," he said sarcastically.

"Yeah."

"What are you r_eally_ doing here, Jimmy?"

"Nothing, really."

"That's bull and you know it." Jimmy sighed and ran a hand through his uncombed hair,

"I heard about the adoption."

"You _what_?"

"I heard about the adoption. Liz looked me up and called me and told me that I deserved to know. That you were adopting Jess and you were gonna be his father and that I wasn't. Not that I ever was."

"You left him seventeen years ago."

"I know."

"And now what? You wanna come back and screw up my family?"

"Hey, I didn't intrude on anyone's life."

"No? You don't think that coming and staying at my wife's inn and disrupting my kid's life isn't intruding!" Jimmy looked at the floor,

"I didn't even know you were married."

"No? Did you know that I have kids?"

"Yeah. I know. Jess is your kid." Luke shook his head,

"Other kids. Rory's sixteen. Hannah and Josh are six months. You come here, you not only screw up my life and Jess' life, but you also screw up the lives of three innocent children." Jimmy paused before answering,

"There's no evil plan here. I have a job, a life. I just thought I'd come and..."

"What? Say hello, see if he looks like you? Then what?"

"Well..."

"What?"

"I don't know!"

"Okay, well, while you're figuring it out, let me plant this little thought in your head- you do or say anything to upset my family, I will make sure your life is a living hell. I don't know if I'll kick your ass; I've changed since I adopted my daughter, but there will be some way in which your life will become a living hell."

"Wait... you adopted your daughter?"

"Yeah. It took a lot of work to get our family the way it is. You reverse all the work my wife and kids and I have done? You'll regret ever having come back." Jimmy was quiet and pensive, before offering quietly,

"I just wanted to see him."

"Well, you saw him. Now get outta here."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hi. It's Lane's voicemail. If you're Rory, leave a message telling me when and where and I'll be there."

_Beeeeeeeeeep._

"Lane, it's Seth. Listen, I found out what happened. Tristan kissed Rory or Rory kissed Tristan or they kissed each other... I don't know. All I know is that Ryan's really upset about it and I'm pretty sure they're broken up... Call me... or call her... call someone. Bye."

_Click._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday night, Jess wiped down the tables in anger; the more he'd thought about his conversation with Ally, the more upset he'd gotten.

The more he'd thought about the conversation with Luke, the more upset he'd gotten.

The more he'd thought about Rory crying on the couch wrapped in a bathrobe, the more upset he'd gotten.

It was closing time and the man with the messy hair was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee again.

"Closing time," Jess announced forcefully. The man ignored him, "I said it's closing time," still no reaction, "Look, I don't know who you are or what the hell you've been doing here the past couple of days, but I have no more patience for it. I'm not gonna tell you to get the hell out or to take the coffee cup and stick it in a few choice places, because the boss is pretty much in charge of everything regarding me and I'm already in trouble. But I will tell you this- I've had a really rough week, and you sitting here and staring at the table while I try to clean up so I can get home and get some sleep and figure out what the hell I'm gonna do is not helping! So either get up or tell me what the hell you want." The man looked up at Jess,

"I'm Jimmy, Jess. I'm your father." Jess paused for a second before glancing at the door,

"What?"

"I'm your father."

"Are you... are you sure?"

"Am I... yes, I'm sure. I didn't mean to spring this on you. I thought Luke would've told you that I..."

"Luke would've told me?"

"Well, yeah, he came to see me last night. He didn't tell you. That's obvious because you're still doing the staring with the frown and. . .you look different."

"Seventeen years will do that to you..." Jess mused quietly, downcast. After a few seconds, he blurted out, "I've gotta go." He ran out the door, not bothering to lock up behind him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke and Lorelai sat on the couch together, discussing the situation at hand. Rory had gone to Lane's for a bit of relief, but Luke and Lorelai needed to figure out how to tell Jess the news.

"Should we tell him together?"

"Maybe I should just tell him..."

"Maybe Liz should tell him?" They were startled by the front door opening and slamming.

"Jess!" Lorelai scolded, "Don't slam the door like that!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jess asked Luke, ignoring Lorelai.

"What? Jess, what are you talking about? Don't ignore your mother!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Jess repeated, pointing his finger angrily at Luke.

"Jess, what?"

"You didn't tell me. He came and you just happened to forget to tell me!" Luke realized what Jess meant,

"Oh... look, Jess..."

"No, don't 'look, Jess' me, Luke."

"_Luke_?" Lorelai repeated, whispering, "Honey, what's going on?"

"_Him_," Luke said under his breath.

"Oh... him... look, Jess, sweetie, we were gonna..."

"_You _knew too!"

"Yeah, honey, I did..."

"And you just were gonna keep it from me!"

"No, sweetie... we were gonna tell you..."

"When, m... Lorelai! When were you gonna tell me!"

"Soon. We were trying to figure out how to tell you without upsetting you."

"Well, you did a terrific job of that," he said sarcastically.

"Hey! Watch yourself, Jess. She's still your mother!" Jess shook his head,

"Save it." Jess grabbed his coat and threw it on, throwing the door open.

"Where do you think you're going!" Luke asked, raising his voice.

"Out. Don't wait up, _Uncle Luke_."

As Jess ran down the stairs, Rory came back up,

"Hey... Jess, what's wrong?" Jess pushed past her, walking away briskly. Rory looked up to find her father staring after Jess' retreating figure, her mother welling up with tears, "Daddy?"

"Get inside, Rory."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess walked, but he didn't know where he was going. All he knew was that he had to go somewhere, and his usual hiding spot was out.

In a normal situation, he'd go to the Cohen's house and hide out in their basement, but in this case, he knew he couldn't. Kirsten would dote on him and Sandy would call Luke and he and Lorelai would come over and his "four parents" would make him sit down and talk about it.

Talk about what? They'd lied to him. They'd kept something from him that he'd deserved to know. They'd done wrong by him.

Without realizing it, he'd landed at the spot where he'd been his very first night in Stars Hollow: the playground.

He sat down on the swing and looked up at the approaching footsteps behind him. Ally sat down behind him,

"Hey. I was just coming from the market and I saw you. What's up?" Jess shook his head,

"It's all screwed up." She sat down next to him,

"What is?"

"Everything. I just..."

"You just what?"

"I screwed everything up... They screwed everything up... He screwed everything up."

"Who did?"

"All of us... I just... I have to..."

"You have to what?"

"I have to... call Emory..." Ally stood up in anger,

"Are you kidding, Jess?"

"What! What the hell, Ally, what are you so mad over!"

"Emory this and Ella that. You can't talk to _me _about your problems?" Jess stood up next to her,

"You wouldn't understand this."

"I understand _you_."

"This isn't something you'd get."

"You know what? I don't get it, Jess. I don't get why, all of a sudden, I don't fit into your life. Every time I ask you to do something lately, you're watching a movie with Ella, or studying with Emory and Charlie. You don't have time for me, Jess!"

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is. Don't kid yourself... You know what, Jess? You just freed up more time for them."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means it's over, Jess," she said, tears falling down her face, "I can't take this anymore."

"Ally..."

"Have fun with your new Chilton pals, Jess. Keep in touch."

She ran off without another word.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was entirely too quiet in her house. All she could hear were Josh's occasional hiccups over the baby monitor and her mother's sporadic sniffles from the den, coupled with her own shallow breathing.

She couldn't take it anymore. Taking her _Beauty and the Beast _pen and _Hello Kitty_ notepad from her desk, she wrote her parents a note.

_Mom and Dad- _

Had to get out of the house. Went for a walk. I have my phone, but I need to get out to think. I'll be back later.

Rory

She pulled a Harvard sweatshirt over her long-sleeved blue t-shirt and, grabbing her wallet, as her father had always taught her, she rushed quietly out the door, her sister's deep breathing following through the baby monitor.

Stepping into the brisk spring air, Rory headed straight for the place she'd been thinking of since she'd come home to her mother crying, Jess storming out, and her father in a stunned silence.

Picking up the pace, she hugged her sweatshirt to herself, willing herself not to cry.

Arriving at her destination, Rory collapsed onto the swings, not hearing the scurrying footsteps disappearing behind the bushes. _The playground. Everything's always better at the playground... Right?_ She let out a bitter laugh, _It's just a playground. It can't fix the fact that my family's falling apart and I have no one left._

She was so immersed in thought that she failed to notice Lane looking out her bedroom window.

She let herself succumb to her urges and allowed tears to silently fall. She dangled he legs, leaving the salty droplets to roll without wiping them away.

She was soon startled by the sound of footsteps running down the sidewalk. She quickly used her palm to wipe at her cheeks and was shocked as she realized who was approaching.

"Ryan?"

"Hey."

"What are you, um... what are you doing here?"

"Lane called me. She said you were out here and as we all know, that means something's wrong. Is anything wrong?" Rory shook her head, but soon stopped,

"Yes. It's falling apart, it's all falling apart." Ryan strode to the swings and sat down in the one next to her, pulling her into him,

"What happened?"

"It's just... I don't even know. I just came home and I could hear Jess screaming at mom and dad and the door slammed and he ran out past me and I went inside- mom was crying and daddy told me to take Josh and Hannah to put them to sleep. And I'm up there and I want to know what's going on, so I remember that we never took the walkie talkie upstairs the time we wanted to find out what we got for Chrismukkah last year. I run downstairs saying Josh needs his blanket and without anyone noticing I turned it on and ran upstairs.

"And so I hear mom and daddy talking. Jimmy came back- Jess' biological dad, and they hadn't told him yet and he got really mad and basically told mom and dad that he hates them and... I don't think he wants the adoption anymore, and I've already lost you, and to think I was losing my big brother? I just..."

"Hey," Ryan interrupted, lifting her chin, "You have not lost me."

"But I thought..." He shook his head,

"No. You haven't lost me. I believe you."

"I didn't even tell you what happened."

"You told me I was wrong. I trust you. You've never given me any reason not to. You have _not _lost me... unless you want to..." Rory shook her head,

"No. Of course not. I love you, Ry."

"You too."

"Does this mean..."

"If you want to..."

"I think it would be the best thing I have going for me right now." He leaned in and kissed her for what seemed like the first time in years,

"I missed that."

"Not as much as I did."

"So... you wanna go back and face your fears... I mean family." Rory laughed lightly,

"I guess... I think I... I think I have to talk to Jess..."

"Ok. C'mon. Let's go home."

Ryan got up and pulled Rory with him, allowing her to bury herself in his chest. They walked quietly until Rory heard a rustle and a thump in the bushes.

"Ahh, crap!" said a voice from behind the brush.

"Jess?" Rory breathed. Jess emerged slowly from the bushes,

"Hey, Rory."

"Jess..." she was at a loss for words.

"I'll leave you two to talk," said Ryan, kissing her forehead before walking off.

"Things are good with you and Ryan now?" Jess asked, a twinge of jealousy in his voice. Rory inhaled,

"You hurt them, Jess." Jess looked down,

"They hurt me."

"They didn't want to. They were going to tell you about it tonight." He shook his head,

"No they weren't. They told you that?"

"No. They wouldn't tell me anything. I turned on the walkie talkie and listened from the twins' room."

"Seth's rubbing off on you."

"Jess," she said warningly.

"I don't know, Rory. You've never been in this situation!"

"What situation? Choosing between a biological father and the father who loves me? No, I know nothing about that, Jess!" Jess diverted his eyes,

"I didn't mean to..."

"You hurt dad, Jess. You hurt the man who raised you. And you don't care."

"I do! I do care!" he looked her in the eye, "I do care that I made Lorelai cry, and I do care that I made Luke upset! But you don't understand."

"I do, Jess. I do understand! And why can't you call them mom and dad? Do you not want to go through with the adoption now!"

"No. I do... I do... I just... I need some time to think... I think I'm just... Could you tell m... mom and dad something for me?"

"Why can't you?"

"It's just too difficult right now..."

"Fine. But you'll have to talk to them sooner or later."

"I know... tell them that I want to go through with the adoption, but I need to spend the summer with Jimmy. I just... I need to get to know him before anything happens. Ok?" Rory nodded,

"Ok... Hey, Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, big brother."

"It's mutual."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory got home to find her father sitting on the front porch swing. She kissed Ryan goodbye and stepped up to him,

"Daddy?"

"Hi, princess."

"Daddy, are you ok?" Luke scoffed,

"Honestly? No... but I will be..."

"Is this about Jess?" Luke nodded and put his arm around her as she sat down next to him.

"Yeah." She paused before offering,

"I talked to Jess."

"So did I. Although I don't know if screaming counts as talking."

"No, daddy. I _talked to him _talked to him."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning he told me... he told me he still wants the adoption, but he wants to spend the summer with Jimmy."

"The summer?"

"Yeah..." Luke sat up,

"It's better than nothing."

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it gonna go back to normal?" Luke nodded,

"Eventually."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Saturday afternoon, Rory, Ryan, Seth, and Lane sat on the swings at the playground, watching as a group of four children, two boys and two girls, played in the sandbox.

"It's not the same without Jess, is it?" Lane asked, pushing her glasses up. Rory shook her head,

"It hasn't been the same since he came for the first time." Ryan nodded,

"I can't believe about him and Ally..."

"He's... he's having a rough time..."

"Then we have to show him that we're still here," suggested Lane.

"How?"

"Cranking Beatles music for 24 hours consecutively?" shrugged Seth, "_I get by with a little help from my friends. Hmm, get high with a little help from my friends._"

"Let's not get high. Helped or otherwise."

"We can do it... we've done it before... I guess we'll just have to use our powers for good instead of evil."

"I guess so." Seth sighed,

"What a shame."


	28. Operation: Operations

_A/N- Sorry for the long time between updates! I've officially had the most insane month since the last one. I've turned Sweetest 17 (as I've dubbed it), gotten my driver'slicense, gotten my car (AKA my red Mustang convertible, Sally), applied to college, gotten into the college I've wanted to go to since I was nine, gotten accepted into a program with one of my classes to go to Europe for 9 days this summer, gotten my report card, been praised for my report card, my kids came for the first time in preschool, wrote a brand new story, and I'm pretty sure I went shopping at some point in there._

_A/N 2- Questions- I have no plans to have Medina screw up Luke and Lorelai, but I do plan on incorporating him someway, somehow... I would like to point out that I adore Jess and I love writing him into the KRP, so umm coughdon'tworrycough... IDK about the Ryan and his biological family thing, At least not soon, cuz it's kinda close to the Jess storyline, but I'll see if I can work something out... Seniors are twelfth grade. Juniors are eleventh grade. Sophomores are tenth. Freshmen are ninth... Uhh, I haven't given thought to Seth and a band. Could be a really funny storyline. Great idea. I'll see what I can do._

_Dedicated to: Everyone who knew that the show was **Avenue Q**, which I'm going to see on Valentine's day with my Humanities teachers. To: SmartiePantz, my ever-reliable Chelsea (Sea4Shoes), and my BeeBee (who I miss since she left lunch for Nutrition for Sports. Dork. I 3 and E> you anyway.) I'm sorry if you were the person who submitted your answer in an email cuz I can't seem to find that email. To you, too!_

_New Challenge: (A sorta easy one, for me and my friends at least) What movie are Ava and Jess talking about the first time they meet at the park? ("The girl fights between and are not high on my list of shockers.") Same rules! Leave it in your review! Good luck!_

_Disclaimer: See nothing. Do nothing. Own nothing._

Operation: Operations

Rory blew on the pizza before biting into it, but it provided little refuge from the steam coming off of the cheese.

"Ow!" she cried, throwing her slice back onto her _Finding Nemo _paper plate. Ryan looked up from his own plate to watch her fan off her tongue,

"That's not gonna do anything."

"Weh, yuh dot heppig!" Seth coughed on his pizza, Lane nodded, and Ryan narrowed his eyes at her,

"What?"

"Yuh dot heppig!" Rory exclaimed, her tongue still hanging out of her mouth.

"I'm sorry, I don't speak 'Impatient-with-pizza'."

"She said you're not helping," Lane explained, examining her own slice.

"Oh... How am I not helping?"

"Yuh adser. Ull ah cah do ite dow ith low oth by thung!" Ryan, confused, looked to Lane.

"Your answer didn't help. All she can do right now is blow off her tongue."

"Oh. Ok." All fell silent for a second, and in that brief second without jovial laughter, it was obvious, even to an outsider, that something was amiss within the Kelly Road Posse.

Instead of acknowledging it, Ryan flipped on the TV and tuned it to _Curb Your Enthusiasm_.

"Oh! I love this show!" Rory exclaimed, her speech slowly returning to normal.

They all watched with vague interest, mentioning,

"Larry's head is especially shiny this week, isn't it?"

"Whatever happened to the racist dog? They had it for one week and then it was gone."

"You know, this was the show that first really made me want to go see 'The Producers' on Broadway."

After a half hour, when the "Doo-doo-doo dodododo" of _Curb_'s theme filled the room, Seth maneuvered himself gently from his position underneath Lane, who'd laid herself down on top of him as they watched TV. They were all quiet for a minute before Lane confessed,

"It's not the same without Jess, is it?" They all shook their heads and Rory wiped at the tears threatening to spill over. Ryan pulled her close and kissed her temple.

Since Jimmy had returned to town three weeks earlier, the Danes family had been walking on eggshells.

Jess had returned to calling Luke and Lorelai by their first names, calling them 'mom and dad' only on occasion, and only while muttering. He refused to open up and talk to anyone, much less Rory, who he sent passing fretful glances to. He'd become quieter on the bus, and even Emory, Ella, and Charlie had expressed their concerns.

_"Look, Rory," _Ella had said_, "We're not really sure what exactly is going on with your family right now, and believe us, we're not prying. But Jess is..." _

"He's not being Jess," Emory had finished.

Rory had thanked them, told them that the family was going through some issues, and that, if a plan were to be put in motion, she'd make sure to include them.

"Hey, Rory, don't cry," Seth said soothingly.

"I'm sorry, guys."

"Don't be sorry," Ryan admonished gently, "It's hard for all of us." They all knew that Rory had spent much of the past three weeks in her room, writing poetry to express her thoughts as she cried.

"It's unnecessarily hard." Ryan nodded,

"I know." They all fell silent for a moment until Seth suggested slowly,

"I think that it's time... to set a plan in motion." They all looked at him,

"Now?" Seth nodded,

"Jess will be going away to California in what? Two weeks? We need to do it before he goes away." They all looked tentatively at Rory; her emotions were the only thing that could hinder their plan of action,

"Seth's right. I'll get my notebook to start organizing."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kirsten and Lorelai sat at a table at Kandy's, sipping at strawberry-banana smoothies.

"C'mon, Lorelai. I haven't seen you relax in three weeks."

"I've relaxed!" Lorelai protested. Behind them, a motorbike roared by and Lorelai jumped.

"Is that why you just hit the ceiling from a moped riding by?"

"I did not!"

"Yes you did! Lorelai, you're completely on edge," she said as soothingly as possible.

"I just... it's been kinda difficult for us lately. My baby.. he..."

"I know," Kirsten assured, "But honey, if you're all miserable at home, he's not gonna want to come home. He's not gonna want to have the whole family be miserable because of him."

"The whole family's not miserable."

"Your husband stubbed his toe the other day and let out a string of curses that would put _Pulp Fiction_ to shame."

"I'm getting too old for this shit," Lorelai grinned. They both fell into a comfortable silence until Kirsten looked her best friend in the eye,

"Hey, how about we have an adults' night?"

"What?"

"An adults' night. You, me, Sandy, and Luke go out to a nice restaurant to eat. Let the kids stay home and have a teenager night. Just get away from everything for one evening." Lorelai looked at her cup, then back at her best friend,

"I'll talk to Luke about it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess sat on the swing at the playground, kicking at the dirt below his feet, watching as four children, two boys and two girls, played happily together. He listened in on the eight-year-olds' gleeful, thoughtful conversation.

"No, Lexi. The red block's bigger. It goes on the bottom."

"But Noah, then it's not in color order." The little boy, Noah, furrowed his brow,

"You're right... hmm... what should we do?"

"I don't know. I mean, it'll fall over if we fix it, but it looks wrong if we do."

"We could just knock it over and do something else," another little boy suggested.

"No, Ben!" Another little girl smacked at him,

"What is wrong with you!" Ben looked at the little girl, rubbing at the bruise forming on his arm,

"Ow! Charlie!"

"Wimp."

"Charlotte Anne Griffin, you..."

Jess tore himself away from the kids' conversation when he heard a tiny cough from behind him.

He turned around to find another eight-year-old, her hair curly, blonde, shoulder-length, and pulled into a tight pony-tail through a Yankee's baseball cap. Her green tank top and cargo knee-length shorts matched her flip-flops, which she tapped impatiently on the floor.

"Excuse me, Scruffy. You're sitting in my swing." Jess glanced at her,

"Public playground, kid."

"I always sit at that swing when I come here."

"I've been here for six years."

"I've been here every day for the past seven months." Jess sighed and stood up, moving to the next swing over.

"Thanks."

"No problem," Jess was about to continue kicking at the ground, but the little girl watched him intently. Sensing the eyes on him, Jess became aggravated, "What?"

"You're old," the girl stated plainly.

"What?"

"You're old."

"I'm sixteen."

"To be at the playground, Amelia Bedelia." Jess looked her in the eye,

"Who determines what age is too old for a playground?" The little girl waved her hand across his face,

"Look around you. Everyone here's twelve or younger."

"Whatever."

"You're like Cady Heron- a big kid acting like a little kid. What, were you homeschooled in Africa until now?"

"You've seen that movie?"

"Please. I've seen _The Exorcist_. The girl fights between the Plastics and Janice are not high on my list of shockers... though that was a funny movie," Jess rolled his eyes, "Why are you here?"

"On this planet?"

"On this swingset." Jess shrugged,

"I needed a place to think."

"You've been here a lot lately. You've been thinking a lot."

"Who are you, Dr. Phil?" Jess bit.

"No. Just thought I could maybe help you," the little girl recoiled. Jess sighed,

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just... going through some stuff right now."

"It's ok."

"I'm Jess, by the way."

"Avery Grace," she held out her hand to shake his.

"Avery Grace, huh? That's your first name?" Avery Grace shrugged,

"First and middle. But it's what everybody calls me."

"You like it?"

"It's alright."

"You have a nickname?"

"No. No one's ever given me one."

"Why not?"

"You're getting off topic."

"With reason."

"You know, I'm a good ear." Jess looked away before beginning warily,

"What's your family like?"

"Mine? Not the Brady Bunch."

"Meaning?" Avery Grace squinted up at the sun,

"My mom left when I was three. She ran off with an Italian businessman named Rodolfo."

"You hear from her?"

"Three times a year. My birthday, Christmas, and the beginning of the school year..." She fell silent for a moment, and Jess was about to tell her that it was ok if she didn't want to continue, but she forged on, "My dad hired a nanny. Then another. Then another. None of them stuck around long." Jess thought of Lorelai and her nannies from childhood,

"How come?"

"We move around too much. They couldn't deal with it."

"Oh."

"And my dad... he tries. Honest to G-d, he tries, but no one ever said that just because you try it has to turn out your way... He doesn't know what to do with me a lot of the time. At this point, he's just looking to keep food in the fridge and clothes on our backs. Emotional contact isn't his thing."

"You're..."

"Wise beyond my years? I know. I've been told. It's just, when you move around as much as I do, you don't get to make friends that last long, and after a while, you just kinda give up. So books became my best friend. And movies. They were portable and there when I needed them."

"I know where you're coming from. I've been reading a lot lately."

"Why?"

"I... You know Luke's Diner?" Avery Grace nodded,

"Yeah."

"Well, my da... uncle owns it. When I was ten, he took me in. And things went really well, until a... complication arose..." He conveniently forgot to mention the adoption which, to his knowledge, was still happening, though put on pause.

"What kind of complication?"

"My birth father showed up."

"Oh."

"And Luke didn't tell me about it, but they said he was going to and... I don't know who to believe, and I've hurt everyone, and this whole situation is lose/lose."

"I think you need to talk to Luke about it. Before you both get more hurt." Jess looked at her incredulously,

"Luke's not much of a talker. Not about stuff like that. When my sister fell asleep with her boyfriend at the dance studio, he wouldn't talk to her for two days."

"Your sister? From the same birth father?"

"Oh, no," Jess blushed, "My cousin, I mean." Avery Grace eyed him with interest,

"Do you have any brothers and sisters from the birth father?" Jess shook his head,

"No. Not that I know of, anyway." They were both quiet before Avery Grace contributed,

"I still think you need to talk to Luke, but if you can't I'll be around to talk to." Jess grinned,

"Thanks." They were both startled by a heavy Brooklyn accent calling over the throngs of children,

"Avery Grace! Avery Grace, it's time to go now!" Avery Grace stood up,

"That's my nanny."

"I figured. You're the only Avery Grace at this playground. I'm pretty sure, at least."

"It's been nice talking to you."

"You too."

"See you around."

"Yeah. I'll see you later, Ava."

"Ava?" The little girl's eyes suddenly shone with excitement, "A nickname?" Jess grinned,

"Yeah. I thought we could try it out. If you want to, that is."

"Oh, I do. Thanks, Jess! See you later!"

"Bye, Ava."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rory sat on her bed, her house phone up to her ear,

"Yeah, so we'll get Emory to call him... No, Ryan... No, Ella's gonna come back here with the food... Right..." Rory looked up at the knock on the door. She quickly closed her notebook and called out, "Come in!" Poking his head in first, Luke coughed nervously,

"Who are you on the phone with?"

"Ryan."

"Ok," he stepped into her room and sat down on the toy chest at the foot of her bed.

"What's up?"

"Rory, Saturday night, Sandy and I are taking Kirsten and your mom out to dinner. Kind of a 'forget everything and relax for one night' dinner."

"And you need me to babysit?" Luke shook his head,

"No, no... well, yes, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about... Look, when we're out... your mom and I don't want you to just be sitting in your room alone the whole night." _Definitely not what I was planning_, "Invite some friends over. Have a Kelly Road Posse thing. I don't want this whole... incident," Luke said, stuttering over the words, "to control your life. I know you're upset, but we need to continue with life as normal. Ok?"

"Ok, daddy."

"I mean, what happened the other night... it's ok, it just... it shouldn't become habit." Rory glanced down, away from her father's caring, yet incriminating eyes.

The other night Rory had done something she hadn't done since she was seven and was convinced that Jack the Ripper was hiding in her closet.

_The clock shone 2:17 am on the night table next to the eldest Danes' bed. They slept peacefully; Hannah and Josh had been sleeping through the night for a while and they took advantage of the somewhat-new development. Luke had his arm wrapped protectively around Lorelai, who frowned in her sleep. _

The door creaked open and the small figure of a girl tiptoed in, over to her mother's side of the bed.

"Mom?" No answer. "Mom?" Lorelai's figure stirred,

"Rory?"

"Mommy..." Rory choked out.

"Rory? Rory, what's wrong, angel?" Luke, too, had begun to stir,

"Hey, princess. What's the matter?"

"I just... I can't sleep..."

"Why? What's... oh..."

"Yeah," she clutched her robe tighter to herself, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you up, but I just needed to talk to you."

"It's ok, angel. Come sit," Lorelai patted the spot she'd made between herself and her husband and Rory climbed in between her parents.

"I just... can't stop thinking about it," Rory coughed out as she began to sob.

"It's ok, baby. C'mere," Lorelai cradled her eldest daughter in her arms and rocked her like she had when she'd been a baby. Luke rubbed her back and kissed her head through her hair,

"You wanna sleep in here with us tonight, princess?" Rory nodded,

"Is that ok with you guys?"

"Of course. Go to sleep. We'll have time to discuss this in the morning."

"Ok." Lorelai leaned over and kissed Rory's temple,

"Goodnight, sweets. It'll be better in the morning," Rory nodded and leaned over to Luke as Lorelai laid down,

"Daddy," she whispered, "I'm sorry."

"For what, baby?"

"For making this... for making this harder on you. I know you already have so much to deal with about the adoption and everything but... I just... I'm not coping well with it... I'm sorry to be another burden on you..."

"Hey," scolded Luke softly, "If this is difficult on you, it's difficult on me."

"But you already..."

"Hey," he lifted her chin up so she looked him in the eye, "You're my kid and I love you more than anything in this world, and if something is hurting you, it's hurting me. You never need to be afraid to tell me something because you're afraid of how it'll affect me. My only concern is you." Rory began sobbing,

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too, princess. We'll get through this," he squeezed her tightly and kissed her forehead, "Go to sleep."

Rory looked up into her father's concerned blue eyes and nodded,

"I know. I understand. No more moping."

"There's my girl," he leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, "I'll be feeding your sister if you need me."

"Ok." Luke stood up slowly, grinning slightly at her as he walked out the door.

"Who was that?" asked Ryan from the other end.

"My dad."

"Another 'Luke and Rory discuss life' talk?"

"No. This was a 'Luke instructs his daughter not to be a spinster' talk."

"Ah, one of those."

"Yeah. He said that he, my mom, and your parents are going out for dinner on Saturday and that he and mom are worried about my hermit-ness as of late."

"Yeah?"

"Yup. Apparently, they have no idea what we have planned. Which is for the best, I guess. We don't want them knowing and slipping up. Mom can't keep a secret."

"I know. Remember the surprise party for your dad?"

"Oh yeah. She told him that if he didn't give her coffee, he wasn't going to be invited to his own surprise party."

"I guess my mom doesn't know either, because then she would've told Lorelai about it."

"It's better that way."

"Yeah."

"Ok, so Emory's gonna call him and..."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Fancy seeing you here."

"Hey, Ava." Ava shook her head,

"I'm still not used to not being called 'Avery Grace'."

"Probably because you're not called it all the time... My sis... cous... Hannah, she's almost nine months old. All her life, we've all called her Hannie, Banana, H..."

"This is the third time we've seen each other here and I'm still not used to it."

"Give it time."

"I'd like to meet Hannah," she added quietly

"Yeah? Cuz she tends to have a lot of unidentified fluids flowing out of her at any given moment..." Ava shook her head again,

"I love babies. I have a baby cousin."

"How old?"

"Two, I think. Her name is Kristen. Last time I saw her, she was seven months old."

"Why haven't you seen her since then?"

"My dad, Rick, he's not close with his sister," she quietly.

"Oh..." They were both silent before Ava asked,

"So, what's bothering you today?"

"Blunt much?"

"I'm the Lucy to your Charlie. The doctor is in. Spill."

"Same old... I told you about my friends?"

"No... well, just their names and who they were dating." Jess sighed,

"Well, I moved here when I was ten..."

"That much I knew."

"Ok, and here, pre-made, was this group of best friends. Rory, my si... cous..."

"Just like Hannah."

"Yeah. She had these friends, there was Lane, and Seth and Ryan- they're brothers. You might know them. Their parents own Kandy's." Ava shook her head,

"Don't know them. But sometimes, I'll sneak away and tell my dad that I'm going for a walk and go there. There's this really nice lady there. She's pretty and she has blonde hair and she let me try everything. She said I remind her of 'a younger member of the JRD' or something." Jess grinned,

"The KRP?"

"I think so."

"That's, um, that's us. The KRP. Kelly Road Posse. Seth came up with the name when we were kids. Before I moved here."

"Oh, wow. She thought I reminded her of you guys?" The grin disappeared,

"I guess so."

"So... why are you making that face if you're thinking about your friends?"

"Because... you ever have a feeling that you're an add-on, and that if something happened, you'd be the odd man out? With your friends, I mean?" Ava shrugged,

"I don't really have friends."

"Not even here?"

"The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe are my friends. Even here."

"Not here," Jess said immediately, "You have me, don't you?" Ella grinned,

"Seriously? I'm not just an annoying kid?"

"Nope. In fact, you're the only person I can talk to lately." They were both silent for a moment, kicking at the ground. Jess looked up as Ava suddenly asked,

"Why?"

"Why? My friends are... they're Rory's friends. They're all taking Rory's side."

"Did they tell you that?"

"What? No."

"You've talked to them about it?"

"Not really, no."

"Then how do you know that?"

"I just..." Jess stammered.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought."

"Look, Ava, stop with this holier-than-thou crap. You don't know everything," he said, his voice rising. Ava stayed calm,

"No. But I know how to get to you."

"Well, why don't you use your psycho-babble bullshit on someone else? I don't need your help!"

"I think you do."

"I think you're the one that needs someone's help. You're eight! Why don't you go play with those kids over there?" He yelled.

"Who? Charlotte, Ben, Lexi, and Noah?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. Why don't you go bother them!"

"Because... because they don't want me there. They're already a group. I can't break into that... I just... I haven't tried, but I know." Jess watched as the little girl stood up and bustled to grab her stuff.

"What? Ava, what are you..."

"Bye, Jess." He watched as she scrambled away.

"Ava! Av..." He hung his head as she disappeared past the playground. _Can't get close to anyone without hurting them, can I?_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lorelai applied blush in the double mirror upstairs in her bathroom. As she closed her eyes, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

"Hey," She greeted quietly, leaning into Luke's chest.

"Hey there. You look beautiful." Lorelai grinned sadly,

"Well, you know. When I'm not with the twins, I take the opportunity not to wear baby-food-proof clothing."

"Yeah? You mean you don't wanna wear your Bangles tour t-shirt out to dinner?"

"Want to is a whole different thing entirely than can."

"You sure you want to do this?" He asked as she turned around to face him.

"Umm... yes. Yes, I am. I need to... _We_ need to get back to life as normal. We've been walking on eggshells and... I just... I need to be happy again, ok? Even if it's just for one night," she wiped at tears threatening to flow over.

"Yeah, yeah. Of course, I'm sorry," he quickly apologized, holding her close. She'd lost weight, he'd noted. And she was crying all the time. So was Rory. Even if Jess was only going away for the summer, they couldn't come to grips with the concept that their family was different now; there was still obvious doubt in their mind that Jess would come home when the summer was over.

Conversations with Jess had become sporadic at best and only included discussion about dinner, schoolwork, and where he was going on weekends and afterschool. There was no discussion with Jess of what they'd done with their friends, what they'd seen on TV, or any good books that any of them were reading.

Luke made a conscious effort to keep the house abuzz in conversation, but only Rory reciprocated, and even that was with a forced normalcy that abruptly ended when Jess entered or exited the room.

"Alright," he said, kissing her quickly, "We're going in fifteen."

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess sat at the corner table of the diner, nursing his slice of pie. He couldn't help thinking of the look of utter shock and hurt on Ava's face when he'd told her to leave him alone and go bother the kids her own age; he hadn't meant to say those things, but they'd come out seemingly on their own.

He felt bad; she was the only one who understood him anymore, the only one he could talk to, and he'd upset her. Worse yet, she was an eight-year-old little girl, and he'd upset her.

He remembered when Rory and he had been eight. He was visiting Luke, Lorelai, and Rory for Christmas, and he and Liz were staying in Rory's room, while she stayed in her parents' room with them. One day, he and Rory had been playing together in the den, and she decided that she wanted to watch a movie. She picked up _The Little Mermaid _and put it into the VCR. Jess laughed through the movie, commenting on and mocking it, as well as making fun of Rory for liking it. Rory had gotten extremely offended and stalked off to her bedroom, slamming the door and not coming out for an hour, despite her family's best efforts.

He didn't hear the bell ring over the diner door and ignored the small footsteps coming toward him.

"Hey," came Ava's tiny voice. He looked up,

"Ava," he breathed, "Look, if you're here to tell me off, you have every right. Go ahead." She shook her head,

"I'm not here to tell you off. You were right. I need friends my own age." Jess silenced his phone as it began to rang. _Emory._

"I'm sorry, though. I was out of line. You depended on me as a friend and I let you down."

"It, uh... it wouldn't be the first time a friend has let me down... You at least apologized and stayed and still want to be my friend."

"Well, I want to make it up to you." She grinned shyly,

"How?"

"Well, how about I get you dinner and dessert?" He looked down at his pie and missed the familiar car driving by. _Ella_.

"Here?"

"Yeah. I'll even cook it for you. I just... I have to run upstairs and get my apron."

"Can I come up with you?" Jess nodded and the two of them ran upstairs. As they reached the office, Ava stopped,

"Oh, you know what? I forgot my purse downstairs. I'll be right back." Jess disappeared into the office and Ava turned around, but before she could descend the stairs, she saw a blonde head bobbing up towards her.

"What are you doing up here?" she asked the teenage boy, who looked about the same age as Jess. The boy straightened his Kandy's t-shirt,

"I could ask you the same question."

"I'm here with Jess. I'm a friend of his." The blonde boy grinned,

"Are you? Well, then we have something in common. Where is he?" Ava skeptically pointed to the office door. He smiled appreciatively at her, "Thanks." She watched as the blonde boy entered the office, and followed him slowly. "Jess?" he called out.

"Ryan?"

"Hey! Where've you been?" Jess appeared from behind the wall, clutching an apron,

"Here."

"You didn't pick up your phone."

"What? You didn't call me."

"Emory did."

"How do you know that?"

"Rory. She called me. She said that Emory's at your house and she needs the Spanish homework, but Rory doesn't know where it is. You need to go home and get it for Em."

"Em? Nobody calls Emory 'Em' except me, Charlie, and Ella..."

"Her closest friends?"

"Well, yeah."

What Jess didn't know was that, over the past three weeks, due to shared concerns over Jess himself, Emory, Charlie, Ella, Rory, Seth, Ryan, and Lane had become increasingly close.

"Um, yeah. I just... there's a girl from school named Emily that I know. 'Em' just kinda slipped."

"Alright, well, Ave, you wanna come with us?" He asked the little girl, standing quietly by the door. Ava shrugged,

"Sure. Just let me get my purse."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Steaks, medium rare, for everyone, please," Sandy ordered as the man took their menus.

"So," started Kirsten, "What's new with you guys? We haven't been able to see much of each other lately."

"Umm... nothing."

"Oh, c'mon, there's gotta be something to tell us. What about the twins?" Lorelai grinned,

"Josh's new thing is standing. All he wants to do anymore is stand with you supporting him. He gets upset if he can't for too long."

"And his twin sister only wants to talk. She's not at the words yet, but she's getting close," Luke smiled.

"I remember when we watched them last week, she kept going 'babababa.' She's getting close."

"She's trying," Lorelai smiled sadly, "She'll be just like her big sister and bro..." she looked down, "She'll be a literature girl..." Sandy quickly changed the subject,

"And, uh, that Joshy will be a real athlete." Luke forced a grin,

"Yeah. Maybe he'll play softball." Sandy laughed,

"He'll be better than Seth." They all leaned in to console Lorelai as she began to sob,

"I'm sorry... it's just... it's hard. Everything reminds me of the way it used to be. Jess was gonna teach Josh to play softball. Jess was gonna help teach Hannah how to read. Jess was gonna be adopted by the end of this summer."

"Oh, sweetie, it'll all go back to normal," Kirsten said soothingly.

"I know," she breathed, "At least, I hope it will..."

"It will," assured Sandy. They consoled her and Luke pulled her into him.

"Ok, I'm done making a scene in a public place. We wouldn't let our kids get away with it; why should we?" Sandy grinned,

"That's not entirely true. There was that time at that burger place with the really rude waiters when the kids were ten." Lorelai grinned,

"You'd think that waiter never had someone scream at him that they want 'the bottom half of the cow, with it quacking and the bun bleeding'."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jess, Ryan, and Ava stomped up the front steps and Jess pulled out his keys, unlocking the front door. Both Jess and Ava were taken aback at the appearance of the den.

There were paper streamers hanging everywhere, balloons positioned in corners, and a food spread "King Henry the eighth would be jealous of"(according to Emory) arranged on the table.

"Surprise!" yelled the kids standing around the table.

"What's... what's all this?" Jess asked happily.

"Why, Jess Mariano, this is your life!" Seth and Ryan said together.

"Six years and it's still creepy."

"Come sit, come sit," Rory ushered Jess into an armchair across from the TV. Emory brought him a slice of pizza,

"Eat." Jess took the slice and Powerpuff Girls plate.

"You were in on this?"

"We thought we could help," offered Ella, handing him a cup of soda.

"Where are the..." Lane and Rory coughed,

"Twins are here." Hannah grunted and leaned out of Rory's arms towards Jess.

"Hey, beautiful," Jess smiled at the baby as he pulled her onto his lap. Lane shifted Joshua, who had reached out to Ryan, and she cleared her throat,

"Jess? Who's your friend?"

"Oh!" Jess jumped up, clutching the baby tightly, "Guys, this is Avery Grace."

"Avery Grace?"

"Well, Jess calls me Ava," she offered in a tiny voice, "You can call me Ava if you want."

"Alright," Rory said, "Well, Ava, welcome to our house. You should meet everyone. That's Ryan and Seth..."

"They're brothers," everyone looked at her. She explained, "Jess has told me about you guys."

"Oh. Ok... Do you need..."

"Well, actually, can I try?"

"Go ahead." Ava walked up to the Cohen brothers,

"Seth. Ryan," She walked to Lane, "You're Lane. You're Seth's girlfriend," Lane nodded and smiled, "You're... Rory. You and Ryan are boyfriend and girlfriend," Ryan and Rory nodded, dumbfounded, "Hannah. Joshua. Charlie," She stopped at Ella and Emory standing side-by-side. They each wore a t-shirt and jeans, with their hair down, "Now, one of you is Ella and the other is Emory."

"You said it right," Charlie said, his mouth agape, "Most kids your age call her Emily."

"Why would I? It's not her name," she stared at the two girls, taking in their appearance. After a moment, she said decidedly, "You're Emory. You're Ella," as she pointed at the correct girl upon saying her name.

"You're good," nodded Emory as Charlie put his arm around her.

"I try."

"So, um... Jess, don't think we just bought you pizza for no reason." Rory said, stepping up and sitting Jess back on the armchair.

"Really? I thought it was 'buy Jess pizza for no reason day'."

"Once a year, baby. That happens once a year," Ella smiled patronizingly at him. Jess sniggered,

"Ok, so why did you guys buy me pizza, then?"

"Well," Seth said in his best announcer voice, "because, Jess Mariano, this is your life!"

"This is my what?"

"Your life. Lord, you're slow," Emory rolled her eyes, grinning at Ava's amused giggle.

"What did you..."

"Slow and impatient," Lane played with the DVD player.

"Well, if you'd wait for us to explain!" Rory said in mock-frustration, "Sit back, relax, and watch the video of you, cut together by our very own Charlie Daniels."

"And his lovely girlfriend," called Emory.

"And Emory," Ryan nodded.

"Now, Jess Mariano, this is your life!" Jess turned his attention to the TV, where Emory had put in a DVD labeled "Jess."

"On October 28, 1987, the Danes and Mariano families welcomed baby Jess into the world," the video, in Rory's voice, read, "He was a cute little boy, smart and mischievous. He was always into something, whether it was his mother's purse or his uncle's dishwasher at the diner." Pictures of baby Jess with Luke, Liz, and Miss Patty flashed by, "When he was two, his uncle got engage to a crazy woman named Lorelai. From the engagement, Jess got an instant companion- Lorelai's daughter, Rory."

"But then Jess moved away to New York City," came Lane's voice, "and he and Rory only got to see each other on holidays," Pictures of little Jess and Rory glashed by- them being read to by Luke, little Rory's eyelids drooping, Rory and Jess dancing together, Rory and Jess watching cartoons in their pajamas on a Saturday morning. They were accompanied by stray shots of Jess, looking lonely, in the apartment in New York City, standing solemnly in front of his apartment complex, sadly reading a book on the overstuffed sofa in his old living room.

"When Jess was ten, he was sent to live with his Uncle Luke and Aunt Lorelai. He met the Cohens' and wasn't too fond of the Cohen brothers at first."

"I love 'The Big Lebowski'," Jess grinned.

"Shut up and watch your life flash before your eyes."

"He called them 'slime' and hurt their feelings," Seth's voice announced sadly.

"Seth, how many times do I have to tell you not to cry over that?"

"SHH!"

"But he quickly got over that as he, Seth, and Ryan joined together to kick Dean's ass." They all laughed when they heard Kirsten's voice,

"Seth, don't say ass!"

"I think I can _hear_ you rolling your eyes at mom," Ryan, shifting Joshua, said to Seth.

"He became increasingly close with Rory, Seth, Ryan, and Lane, and a new incarnation of the Kelly Road Posse was born." The professional portrait of Seth, Jess, Ryan, and Rory, along with candids of the kids in their _Grease, Willy Wonka, _and _Wizard of Oz _costumes before, during, and after their shows, Lane always popping in, wearing her "crew" shirt.

"When Jess was fourteen, his aunt got pregnant. Though nervous at first, when the twins were born, Jess fell instantly in love," Jess squeezed Hannah gently and she laid her head back on his chest as a montage of Jess with the twins and other assorted people flew by.

"This past September, Jess was accepted into prestigious Chilton Academy. While the uniform is kinda dorky, Jess has been doing extremely well in the new situation." Photos of Jess, Ryan, Rory, and Seth in their Chilton uniforms, in separate photos looking solemn, then overacting being intellectual, then smiling, and then acting ridiculous. Emory nudged Charlie in the side,

"Remember when we did that, baby?"

"Did what?"

"Went to a photo booth in our Chilton uniforms and bastardized them in such a way that Headmaster Charleston would expel us on the spot if he saw it?" Charlie rolled his eyes and ignored her, putting his arm around her shoulder. Rory excused herself and ducked into the kitchen as the tv kept rolling,

"Recently, Jess encountered some controversy. While the present may difficult, his closest friends know that Jess knows that they'll always be there to support him- no matter what happens."

The movie ended with two shots- one of him with Rory, Ryan, Seth, and Lane, collapsing on top of each other and obviously screaming with laughter, and the other of Jess and Charlie sitting in the middle of Ella's couch, Ella and Emory on either side of the couch, their feet up and resting on the boys' laps.

Jess smiled, feeling relieved and shooting a wink at Ava, and stood up, pulling Hannah closer to him.

"Thanks, guys. This... really, this was great."

"Did you like the acting? Cuz I thought Ryan was a little dry," Seth winced as Ryan punched him in the arm, "Ow! I'm telling dad!"

"Dad's not here."

"He will be."

"What are you, eight?"

"Hey!" Ava protested.

"Yo! Itchy, Scratchy! Can I take this with me?" Jess interrupted.

"The DVD? Yeah. Where are you going?"

"When I go to California. Can I take it with me this summer?"

They all turned at the clatter of a plate on the floor and watched as Rory ran out of the room, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Rory..." Ryan called, handing Joshua to Emory and then quickly running after his girlfriend. Jess looked down,

"I just..."

"We know," comforted Ella, wrapping her arms around him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey, Jess," Ava greeted quickly as she stepped onto the front porch.

"I, uh... I should really..."

"Yeah, it's late. Your dad's probably worried about you."

"Ok... well, uh... Jess..."

"Ava?"

"You need to talk to them."

"They know what's going on."

"Not _them_. Your family."

"Why?"

"To explain."

"To explain what?" She stared at him and rolled her eyes,

"Explain, Jess. Don't act stupid."

"Ava..."

"You're lucky, Jess. You have great friends, a great family from what I've seen. I hope I have that one day." Jess grinned,

"You will. You're off to a good start."

"Yes. I am. But I can't look up to you if you're not being you." Jess stared her down,

"You're a smart kid, Avery Grace."

"Ava," she corrected. Jess grinned,

"You really should get going."

"Yeah," a pregnant pause hung in the air, "Jess?"

"Yeah, Ave?" Ava leaned forward and quickly hugged Jess around the shoulders,

"You're a good big brother. Hannah and Josh are lucky to have you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Rory?" Jess approached quietly, stepping on to the back porch.

"I'll go," Ryan said, scrambling to his feet.

"No," Rory protested weakly, "Don't."

"I'll be right inside. You two... you need your space." Rory nodded and tilted her head up to quickly kiss Ryan for strength.

"Thanks, man," Jess said appreciatively.

"Don't mention it." Ryan disappeared into the house and Rory looked away,

"It's getting late. Ava should probably go home."

"She, uh... she went home already."

They were both silent for a moment until Jess spoke up,

"You know why I have to do this, right?"

"Jess, don't..."

"You do know why, right?"

"I don't want to..."

"Answer the question." Rory sighed,

"To... let your fath... your biological fa... to let Jimmy get to know you..."

"No."

"No?"

"No. I'm not doing this for him."

"Then..."

"I need to do this for me"

"Why? You have a family. You're doing great without him!"

"I need to know him," Jess said quietly, "Not for a father. I know I already have one. Luke's the closest thing to a father I've ever had."

"Luke... Dad _is_ your father."

"Emotionally, yes. But I need to know Jimmy. I need to see what he's like... what I'll be like."

"Jess, you won't..."

"Personality traits are inherited, Rory. I need to know what to look out for. Other than the whole 'running away when your baby is a week old' thing. That one I'm already veering away from."

"But mom and dad..."

"Have shaped me to be who I am now, but what about after? What if he's an asshole and I start acting like a jerk to everyone? Or what if he's a pushover? I need to stop it before it starts."

"You already have a personality, Jess. Knowing or not knowing Jimmy isn't gonna change that." Jess shrugged,

"Either way. I also have a few things I need to get off my chest to him."

"A few choice words?" Rory giggled.

"You could say that," Jess grinned.

"Jess?"

"Yeah, Ror?"

"Just don't have too much fun without us." He pulled her into his arms,

"I don't think I could."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luke warmed a bottle for Joshua before he went to bed, bustling around the kitchen and knocking gently on Rory's bedroom door,

"Don't stay up too much later, kid. Ok?"

"Ok, daddy," Rory waved from her computer, not looking up, "Good night." Luke got a glance at the chatroom she was in before stepping away.

**TheBrains: He said he was going to do it tonight. **

TheOrchestrator: Rory, he didn't just say that to make you feel better?

TheIdeaMan: Yeah, Ror- Lane might be right.

TheOrchestrator: Thanks, Sethie.

TheIdeaMan: NP, Lanie.

TheOrganizer: Ok, ignoring the Cleavers, you're sure you don't need me to come over tonight? For support?

TheBrains: I'm fine, Ryan. Really. I'll call you if anything happens.

"Luke?" Luke turned quickly at the sound of Jess' voice.

"Hey," he said as nonchalantly as he could manage, "What's up?"

"I need to talk to you."

Luke nodded nervously, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants,

"Sure... Should I, uh..."

"If you wanna sit, sure." Luke pulled out two chairs from the kitchen table, motioning for Jess to take the one across from him.

"What..."

"You know what I wanna talk about," Jess said shakily.

"Go ahead."

"Look, I... I never meant for it to be like this. I never meant to make everyone upset and angry like this."

"I know."

"But, I just need you to know... I'm not doing this to hurt anyone."

"I know."

"I need to get to know Jimmy for me."

"I know."

"You know?"

"Yeah. Look, Jess, I know Jimmy. I know who he is and where he comes from and what his shortcomings are and that whole deal. But you don't. And you need to know to figure out who you really are."

"How did you..."

"I went through it. Your grandma died when I was so young that I didn't really get to know her. When I got to be fourteen or fifteen, I started questioning who she was and who I was and how I was like her. We didn't have the opportunity to let me stay with her, so instead we looked at old pictures and I talked to people about her. You did the same thing, just took the more direct approach."

"So... you're not mad?"

"Mad? Nah. Upset and disappointed? Sure. I thought we'd go full steam ahead with the adoption come summer. I wanted it done before your junior year of high school. But that's life. I just... you can't shut everyone out."

"What?"

"These past few weeks. You've stopped talking to Rory for talking to Rory's sake. You've avoided doing errands with Lorelai and me. You've changed your whole attitude towards the family. I need you to know that you're always going to be a part of the family."

"I know."

"So act it. You're leaving in three weeks, Jess. I'm not mad. Just a bit upset that Lorelai cries all the time because she thinks you don't know that she loves you."

"I know she does..."

"Just... don't be so aloof."

"I thought you all wouldn't want to be with me after the whole... incident."

"Jess, there is nothing you could do that could make Lorelai and me want nothing to do with you."

"Ok," he drawled, not quite sure where to go, "I guess I didn't have to explain to you after all."

"Most of the time, Lorelai and I see what's going on. You usually don't have to."

"Ok... well, I'm gonna go to bed."

"Ok. Goodnight." Jess waved behind him as he stepped out towards his bedroom,

"Night, dad."

Luke grinned to himself and sauntered to the entryway, peeking his head around the corner.

"You can come out now." Lorelai skipped out from behind the wall,

"Yay."

"He's telling us what's going on..."

"Better than before."

"Granted, he's still going to California."

"But he's not so shy about his feelings anymore."

"That's always good." Luke pulled Lorelai into his chest and squeezed her,

"You hungry?"

"Always."

"The babies asleep?"

"Sleeping like teenagers."

"Which reminds me..." he let go of his wife and opened the door to his eldest daughter's room. He found her scrambling back to her bed, collapsing onto her pillows with her eyes snapping closed.

"How much have you heard?"

"What?" she feigned sleep, "Heard what?"

"Rory, there's a reason you're a writer and not an actress."

"I heard all of it... including the snack part," Rory raised her eyebrows suggestively. Luke sighed,

"Sure, the one who isn't eating twenty-two of the twenty-four hours a day is going to California."


End file.
